smh

Smh means “shaking my head.” It shows disappointment, disapproval or disbelief, the written version of shaking your head at something silly or frustrating.

What does smh mean?

Smh stands for “shaking my head.” You’ve seen something foolish, annoying or hard to believe, and you’re reacting with a sigh. It can be serious (“smh, another delay”) or playful, especially when friends tease each other.

Smdh, “shaking my damn head,” is a stronger form. Merriam-Webster notes that smh is sometimes read as “scratching my head,” for confusion rather than disapproval, but “shaking my head” is by far the usual meaning.

How to use smh

• “He left his keys in the car again smh.”
• “Smh, they spoiled the finale in the group chat.”
• “You really ate my leftovers? Smh.”
• “Eight dollars for a coffee, smh.”

Smh vs. lol

Lol laughs at something; smh sighs at it. People often combine them, “lol smh,” to say something is both funny and ridiculous.

Where smh comes from

Smh is older than most people think. Merriam-Webster says it has been in use since at least the early 1990s and cites a Usenet post from July 1994. It became far more widespread with texting and, later, Twitter.

Related terms

• Idk: I don’t know.
• Iykyk: if you know, you know.
• Ngl: not gonna lie.
• Rage bait: content made to annoy you on purpose.

See more terms like this in our texting abbreviations guide.