This article was co-authored by Candace Gasper
and by wikiHow staff writer, Glenn Carreau
. Candace Gasper is a Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant and the Owner of Digital Candy, a social media agency. With over seven years of professional experience, Candace is an expert in social media and content creation, specializing in working with local businesses to share their narratives and help them expand their reach. Candace received her Bachelor of Science in Merchandising, Apparels, and Textiles from the University of Kentucky.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 23,270 times.
You’re scrolling through a text and see the abbreviation “smth,” but what does it mean? We’re here to explain! “Smth” is the shortened version of the word “something.” It’s pretty handy when you’re trying to type quickly and avoid bigger words that take time to spell out—which is why you might see Smth used in texts, social media, and private messages. Read on for a complete overview of how to use Smth, along with a recap of its history, alternate meanings, and more.
Smth Meaning at a Glance
Smth is an abbreviation for “something.” It’s often found in texts and on social media as an alternative to typing out the full word. You can use it to set a casual tone when texting or to save time as you type.
Steps
What does Smth mean?
-
Smth is shorthand for “something.” Shorthand is a way of writing that shortens certain words to a few key letters (or symbols). Thus, “smth” is an abbreviation that uses 4 important letters from “something” to form the shorthand version of the word. You can write it in uppercase letters if you prefer (SMTH), but it’s more commonly written in lowercase (smth). For example: [1] X Research source
- “I’m craving smth sweet. Time for ice cream! 🍨”
- “Running to the store in a bit. Want smth while I’m there?”
- “Hey, it seems like smth is up. Wanna talk about it? 🫶”
- Remember: when you read “smth” out loud, it’s still meant to be read as the full word.
How to Use Smth
-
1Use smth to save time when texting or messaging. In terms of usage, you can type “smth” anytime you’d normally write the word “something” in a text, message, or social media post. Smth can save a bit of time, especially when typing on a smaller phone keyboard. [2] X Research source
- “Wanna get smth to eat? I’m thinking pizza! 🍕”
- “Are you free? Let’s do smth today!! 😃”
-
2Make a text feel more casual and nonchalant with smth. The full word “something” can feel a bit more formal when you’re trying to send a friendly text to someone. When you want to establish more casual vibes in a message, try using Smth instead. [3] X Research source
- “Omg I have smth cool to tell you!”
- “Got a minute? Wanted to talk to you about smth! 😊”
-
3Write smth for convenience when taking notes. If you need to write (or type) fast while taking notes, leaving a message for someone, or even leaving a reminder for yourself, abbreviating “something” to “smth” can help you jot your thoughts down more quickly. Just remember it’s an informal abbreviation; it shouldn’t be used on any formal correspondences or work documents!
- “Went to the grocery store for smth. Be back soon!”
- “Hey—remember to get smth for breakfast tomorrow!”
Is there an alternate abbreviation for Smth?
-
“Sth” is sometimes used as an alternative to Smth. Although “smth” is more common, you might see someone use “sth” as a shorthand for “something” instead. The missing “m” in “sth” is the only real difference between the two abbreviations; they can be used interchangeably.
- “I think sth is up with Liam. Do you? 🤨”
- “I’m bored. Wanna see sth at the movies?”
History of Smth
-
Smth became popular sometime in the 1990s or early 2000s. It was originally common in internet forums and chat rooms, but later became a mainstream abbreviation in SMS texting and other social media sites. Today, it’s still super common online (including on sites like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok). [4] X Research source
Other Meanings of Smth
-
1Smooth In some cases, you might see somebody substitute “smth” for the word “smooth,” removing the two o’s to shorten the word. This can come up when talking about someone’s behavior (saying they were “smooth”) or when talking about an object or food with a smooth consistency.
- “Omg this drink is so smth! Delicious 🍹”
- “Lol, that guy was not smth at all! 😂”
- However, this definition of smth is not as common; you’ll normally see “smth” used as shorthand for “something.”
-
2Send Me to Heaven S.M.T.H. is also an abbreviation for “Send Me to Heaven,” which is an Android app and game that challenges players to see how high they can throw their phones in the air (and then catch them). It tracks each throw and features leaderboards to record which players have thrown their phones the farthest.
- Before you play Send Me to Heaven, keep in mind that there’s a chance for your phone to get damaged (or even broken) if you play!
- The game isn’t allowed on Apple’s App Store because the company decided it was “encouraging behavior that could result in damage to the user’s device."
Related Abbreviations
-
Several shorthand abbreviations designed to simplify full words. Smth isn’t the only shorthand abbreviation you can adopt in your texts if you’re looking to save time! Check out the following abbreviations, all of which can be used in place of full words in casual exchanges and note-taking:
- TXT : Text
- WTV : Whatever
- SRSLY : Seriously
- NVM : Nevermind
- BC : Because
- ESP : Especially
- PROB : Probably
- 4EVR : Forever
- BRB : Be right back
- TY : Thank you