Internet Slang 101: What Does 'SMH' Mean?

Those who have been surfing the internet for a while must have encountered the ubiquitous term "SMH" being tossed around in Twitter or other social media.

The acronym "SMH" stands for "shaking my head," a slang commonly used to express disappointment and/or disapproval over something. According to Bustle, the term has been around since 2011. 

"SMH" is usually used when one cannot find the word for a deed so foolish that they can only shake his/her head in annoyance. The slang, which is reportedly in its basic form, can have a lot of modifications, depending on the intensity of the emotion being conveyed.

The letter 'D' may be added to form "SMDH" or "shaking my d*** head," while the addition of the letter 'F' forms "SMFH" or "shaking my f****** head." Other variations contain more profanities like "SMMFH," which stands for "shaking my m************ head."

Bustle also noted that "SMH" may refer to "stupid minded humans" or "so much hate." "SMH" commonly serves as a form of punctuation in a textual conversation. It is rarely used in oral dialogues and discourse.

There are many ways in which one may use the acronym depending on the situation. Bustle provides a list of instances where "SMH" is applicable. First, the expression is appropriate to use when someone catches a close friend or relative posting something unintelligent or illegal on social media. "SMH" is also useful when commiserating with a friend over a depressing issue. It may also be said in jest when a person want to laugh over his/her own mistakes or a blunder of a buddy.

"SMH" is only one of the jargons that can be seen on the internet. There are also others that prove to be useful in certain situations. For instance, instead of saying "to be honest," one may use the acronym "TBH." "WYD" stands for "what you doing," while "TBD" means "to be decided/determined." "IDK," on the other hand, stands for "I don't know."