But if you’ve been too afraid to ask someone “what does DM mean?”, don’t worry, we’ve got you’ve covered.
DM Meaning: What Is a DM?
So what does DM mean? In most instances when people ask you to DM them, they are referring to a “Direct Message”.
A direct message is a private communication between social media users and is sometimes referred to as a private message or PM. When you send a direct message, only you and the recipient can see the content.
It’s a message sent to a private, user-specific inbox on the social media platform, rather than a post to their public timeline, posts, or page.
Slide Into DMs Meaning
The term “slide into your DMs”, for those who don’t know, is direct messaging in which a random user or online acquaintance sends an unexpected private message, most often on Instagram or Twitter, in an attempt to get your attention.
These messages generally come from a confident person who wishes to initiate a conversation with you because they found something attractive about your profile. Sliding into someone’s DMs is essentially making the first move in the online dating world, much like sending a drink to someone from across the room because you find them attractive.
Technically, you could innocently slide into someone’s DMs for non-romantic reasons. But the phrase often has flirtatious connotations.
What Platforms Can You Send DMs On?
Most social platforms offer DM functionality, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Read more: Ways Instagram Is Trying to Protect Teenagers From Creeps
The requirements to use DM features for each platform vary. Some require a valid phone number, while others want to verify that you are over a certain age or that you follow or are connected with the message recipient.
Most platforms have limits on the number of direct messages you can send in a day to prevent spam.
Alternative Meanings of DM
Although most times that someone refers to the abbreviation DM they mean Direct Message, DM can have alternate meanings you should be aware of.
DM can mean “Doesn’t Matter”—this is a polite way of saying you don’t care about an event or outcome and is most often seen in texts. DM can also mean “Don’t Mind”, indicating that the sender doesn’t have a strong opinion on a subject. Again, this use is most commonly seen in texts.
For those familiar with tabletop gaming, you may also know that DM can refer to a Dungeon Master in the game Dungeon & Dragons.
Get Those DMs Sliding
As the world moves more online, meeting someone on a social platform is becoming more likely.
If you are considering sliding into someone’s DMs, remember to keep it short and flirty. But most importantly keep it clean. And if someone’s profile says “no DMs”, respect their boundaries.
