What Does DW Stand For?

DW is a (usually affectionate) internet slang term

Couple in bed
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by Paul Gil
A certified computer instructor with project management experience in web development.
Updated May 06, 2017

DW is an acronym that stands for "dear wife." It is one of the many internet shorthand terms that first appeared in forums but then spread to instant messages, email, smartphone text messages, social media sites and—in some cases—to speech. 

Meanings of DW

DW is a term of written digital affection for "dear wife" or "darling wife." It is used by male posters on the internet when referring to their spouses. The "dear" is sometimes interpreted as sarcastic, in which case you'd need to know the sender's situation to distinguish between the meanings, unless it is obvious in the usage.

Examples of DW Usage

  • I need to go pick up my DW from work, brb.
  • My DW made angel food cake for my birthday.
  • DW and I are headed to Florida for a week.
  • My former DW is driving me crazy!

Other Relationship Acronyms

Other family acronyms you may run across on the internet include:

Other common relationship acronyms on the internet are:  

When to Use Internet Acronyms

DW, like other internet acronyms, is appropriate for use in forums, social media sites, emails, personal texts and casual messages between family and friends. However, don't use internet acronyms in business communications. The recipient may not understand the meaning, and the usage of unfamiliar acronyms is considered unprofessional in business communications.

Some internet acronyms have crossed into our spoken language. You may hear a teen mention her BFF or a Mom refer to her daughter as her DD in a conversation. These internet acronyms and others have joined the ubiquitous LOL (laughing out loud) and OMG (oh my god) in our spoken language. 

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