Would you know what "LWKY" means?

Person using a cell phone.

If someone texted you “LWKY,” would you know what it meant? Google reports that searches for it have hit an all-time high this year.

“LWKY” stands for “low-key,” a term Gen Z has redefined. It used to mean quiet or simple, as in, “We’re keeping it low-key and only inviting 10 people.” Now it means a guilty pleasure or something you’re embarrassed about, like, “Don’t tell anyone, but I low-key love Nickelback.”

Google reviewed 15 years of data to see when searches for various acronyms peaked, indicating when they became popular. Here are some notable ones:

  • 2009: FML (F*** My Life)
  • 2010: FTW (For the Win)
  • 2011: SMH (Shaking My Head)
  • 2012: YOLO (You Only Live Once)
  • 2013: OOTD (Outfit of the Day)
  • 2014: THOT (That Ho Over There)
  • 2015: TBH (To Be Honest)
  • 2016: WYD (What You Doing?)
  • 2017: TFW (That Feeling When)
  • 2018: (No acronym listed)
  • 2019: FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
  • 2020: FYP (For You Page, as in the “For You” tab on TikTok)
  • 2021: 1437 (I Love You Forever; “I” has one letter, “Love” has four, “You” has three, and “Forever” has seven)
  • 2022: IYKYK (If You Know, You Know)
  • 2023: BFFR (Be F***ing For Real)
  • 2024: LWKY (Low-key)

How many of these do you recognize?

Matt Ray

Matt Ray

Matt is a Jacksonville native and has been in radio for over two decades. Matt also owns his own production company that produces Award winning Radio and TV commercials all over the country for a variety of clients.

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