Wondering, ‘what does TM mean in texting?’
If someone used ‘TM’ during a text message to you or on social media, they’re are a few things it could mean but it’s most likely an abbreviation for ‘Text Message’.
TM is also used to mean “Trust Me”, “Tell Me”, and some other things, but these are a lot rarer.
If in doubt, just look at the context of the conversation or ask the person who types TM if you can!
What Does TM Mean in Texting?
When someone uses TM in a text message, in my experience it almost always means ‘Text Message’, ‘Text Messaging’, or something similar to this.
There are rare occasions when it might mean something else, but as far as texting etiquette goes, TM almost always means Text Message.
If their message still doesn’t make sense, it’s worthwhile asking the sender what they mean just to be on the safe side.
What Does TM Mean on Social Media?
You may see ‘TM’ being used on social media platforms such as Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook.
When used on social media, TM usually means one of two things:
Text Message or Trademark.
If you see TM being used on social media in general conversation, then it’s almost always going to mean Text Message.
If you see it written next to a brand name or product, then it’s being used as a Trademark.
For example, you might see Coca-Cola written as ‘Coca ColaTM’.
In this instance, TM is being used to show that Coca-Cola is a Trademarked product.
There will often be a small TM in a circle, but sometimes the platform being used can’t display certain icons so it might be written in letters.
Examples of TM in A Text Conversation
Here are a few examples of how TM might be used in a text conversation:
Sender 1: “Hey, I’m just wondering if you’re free tomorrow to meet up?”
Recipient 1: “Yeah, I should be free around lunch time. What time were you thinking?”
Sender 2: “How about 1pm?”
Recipient 2: “Sounds good to me. I’ll TM you when I’m on my way.”
In this conversation, the recipient is telling the sender that they will text message them (TM) when they’re on their way to meet up.
Sender 1: “Ugh, I just got a parking ticket.”
Recipient 1: “That sucks! What happened?”
Sender 2: “I’ll TM you later and explain when I get a minute, gotta dash now!”
In this conversation, the sender is telling the recipient that they will text message (TM) them later to explain what happened with their parking ticket.
Sender 1: “I just found out you were here yesterday, why didn’t you TM me?”
Sender 2: “Ah, sorry, I actually tried to call you but you didn’t answer.”
This is an example of how you can use TM yourself when texting someone.
Should You Use Text Speak and Abbreviations When Texting?
This is a question with a bit of debate surrounding it as some people really dislike navigating text abbreviations.
On the one hand, textspeak (using abbreviations such as ‘u’ for ‘you’ and ‘r’ for ‘are’) can save you time when texting someone.
On the other hand, some people argue that it can make you look lazy or uneducated.
It’s really up to personal preference and who you’re texting as to whether or not you want to use textspeak.
If you’re texting a friend or family member, they’re likely to be okay with it.
However, if you’re texting a client or boss, it might be best to avoid abbreviations and stick to full words and sentences.
I’ll admit it makes sense sometimes with long words and phrases you use a lot, but with modern cell phones and predictive text it’s almost no slower to just write the entire words.
What to learn about more common text abbreviations and slang?
Here is a list of the other posts I’ve written up, just click one of the links below to jump to the explanation:
Image credits – depositphotos.com/stock-photo-man-using-phone-while-standing
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.