Charles H. Sloan-Learn the 'TL;DR' meaning: Summarize information with this text slang.

Sometimes you have Charles H. Sloana lot to say, whether you're crafting a social post on a hot-button issue or divulging the latest, hot gossip about your date last night.

Unfortunately, we don't always have enough time, or words, to include every intricate detail. That's where slang can help. Certain phrases can aid your digital storytelling, and shorten your character count.

Instead of gushing over your favorite athlete's performance in last night's game, you can call them the "GOAT." Or if someone tells you too much personal information, you might say "TMI."

Before you start drafting your next DM, here's what "TL;DR" means and how to use it.

What does 'TL;DR' mean?

"TL;DR" stands for "too long, didn't read," according to Merriam-Webster. The slang has several uses, depending on its context.

The primary use is when something – whether a social media post or book – is lengthy and would require a lot of time to read. For instance, if someone asked about your thoughts on Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace," you might reply "TL;DR."

More colloquially, "TL;DR" can be used to summarize the main point or message of a long story or discussion – "TL;DR is I shouldn't have made pasta at home. There was flour and butter all over my kitchen and my dog."

"TL;DR" can also used as an adjective to express that something provides summary information.

How to use 'TL;DR'

Here are some examples of how to use "TL;DR":

• "Did you read the assigned chapters?" "TL;DR. I'm just going to SparkNotes it."
• "The TL;DR version of last night is I lost my phone, went back to every bar we were at, only to realize it was in my pocket the whole time."
• "I know her LinkedIn post seemed like TL;DR but it was actually insightful."

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How to find cheap flights?" to "Who is the tallest person in the world?" to "How to turn on dark mode on a Mac?" − we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.

Want to learn? Catch up on more text slang explainers: 

• Entering a new 'era'? Here's how some people define specific periods in their life.
• Are you acting 'sus'? Here is what the slang term means.
• Do you have 'rizz'? It's a compliment. Get to know Oxford's word of the year for 2023.
• Move over 'LOL,' there's a new way to laugh online. What does 'ijbol' mean?
• What does 'iykyk' mean? Get in on the joke with this texting slang.