Despite the popularity of this acronym, many are still unaware of the true IDK meaning. If you are one of them, you don’t have to pretend any longer. We’re going to put the record straight to your question, “what does IDK mean?”
What Is the Meaning of IDK?
The meaning of IDK is literally what you think it is; IDK is short for “I don’t know.” This is the most common and universal meaning around the world.
So, when you ask somebody, and you received an “IDK” reply, that literally means she doesn’t know. There are no other definitions of the IDK acronym, but you can expect some slight variations from time to time.
For example, if you received IDEK, that only means “I don’t even know.” What about “IDRK”? The “R” stands for really. So, “IDRK” means “I don’t really know.”
Where IDK Came From?
Using IDK came as early as 2002. Like other acronyms, IDK was born due to the raise of SMS text messaging.
Many people in today’s time all over the world use abbreviations and acronyms to save time and express what they mean or how they feel. This sparked a revolution in the world of communication and thus SMS language was born.
SMS is a rather new dialect created to make informal language and phone texting easier to use and type on being when cell phones first came out there were no touchscreens only little keyboards and screens to make things easier SMS was devolved.
The way people communicate has evolved over the years meanings, shortening of words and diction has been shifting the way people communicate on social media, the internet, and even in public.
For example, the acronym IDK is being used more and more frequently in an everyday context, not just SMS language.
How to Use IDK?
The acronym IDK is so common and universal now that you’ll find it in informal and formal writing. If you are wondering how to use IDK, here’s how.
When using IDK in SMS language or just any form of formal writing, there are really no limitations on how to use it or when. So, should you capitalize IDK? In the texting world, capitalizing the acronym doesn’t make a huge difference. For formal writing, you should capitalize the acronym.
Examples of IDK
Some examples of IDK being used in a text message or informal writing would be:
- “idk if you can come right now”
- “to be honest idk. I don’t understand as well.”
- “idk the answer to your question”
Notice that the acronym is in lower case but the definition is still the same. How do you use IDK in formal writing?
- “IDK where she is”
- “IDK where the dog is”
- “IDK where your phone is”
- “IDK if she meant what she said”
- “At the end of the day IDK what will happen next time.”
When you capitalize IDK, the reader can kind of infer it is an acronym or abbreviation for a phrase. But in the examples, whether formal or not, the context of the acronym is still “I don’t know.”
In conclusion, IDK meaning should stay in the world of informal writing. If you are writing papers for school or work or anything formal we recommend keeping it out of your vocabulary. It will make you look extremely unprofessional.
