dm

What it means

Short for "direct message," a private message sent to someone through a social media platform rather than posted publicly. It's also used as a verb, as in to DM someone, and "slide into the DMs" means messaging someone privately, often flirtatiously.

Examples

• Just dm me the details and I'll sort it out.
• He slid into her dms with a single emoji, bold.
• Check your dms, I sent you the link.
• My dms are full of brands trying to sell me stuff.

Where it comes from

Tied to the rise of Twitter and Instagram in the late 2000s and 2010s, where "Direct Message" became the standard term for private messaging; "slide into the DMs" became slang around 2014.

Related slang