phrase Internet Slang

TL;DR

/ˌtiː ɛl ˈdiː ˌɑːr/ · phrase · informal

Too long; didn't read — the one-line summary of a wall of text.

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Definitions

1

A helpful, self-aware summary the writer adds at the top or bottom so busy readers get the gist without the whole essay.

“TL;DR: the update fixed the bug, no action needed on your end.”
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2

A snarky tag meaning 'too long; didn't read,' originally slapped on posts somebody couldn't be bothered to finish.

“TL;DR? You wrote three paragraphs to say you were late.”
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3

Used as a standalone reply to politely (or rudely) decline reading something long.

“Bro sent a five-screen rant and I just hit him with 'tl;dr'.”
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TL;DR In A Sentence

TL;DR he ghosted her and now wants to be friends.
I'll give you the tl;dr since the meeting ran an hour over.
Posting a tl;dr at the top because I know nobody reads the whole thing.

Origin & Usage

Born on forums and Something Awful in the early 2000s as a dismissive reply to overly long posts, then flipped into a courtesy summary as it spread to Reddit and beyond.

Variants tldrtl drtoo long didn't read
Tags #acronym#internet#meme#texting

People Also Ask

What does TL;DR mean in texting?

It means 'too long; didn't read' and usually introduces a quick summary of something lengthy. People also use it alone to say they skipped a wall of text.

Is TL;DR rude?

It can be, when you use it to dismiss someone's effort. But when you write your own tl;dr summary, it's just being considerate of busy readers.

Where do you put a TL;DR?

Either at the very top so readers get the gist first, or at the bottom as a recap. Top placement is more common on Reddit.

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