Trending Pages
What is a COVIDIOT?
Can sounds give you brain tingles?
What is a man looking for younger girls called?
What is an "Unexplained Drinking Injury (UDI)"?
What does QQ mean?
P911 means parents are watching!
Why does <4 mean "more than love"?
What does DIAMOND HANDS mean?
Send an encrypted message.
Learn all the Snapchat emojis.
IRL
Search our site
What Does IRL Mean?
IRL means "In Real Life."The abbreviation IRL is used with the meaning "In Real Life" to differentiate between the virtual world (i.e., the internet) and reality. It can also be used to differentiate between actors' characters and the actors themselves. For example:
- Tony: I now have 1000 Facebook friends!
- Jordan: All you need now is some friends IRL. (Here, IRL is used to differentiate between the online world and reality.)
- He seems such a lovely guy on screen, but he is a horrible person IRL. (Here, IRL is used to differentiate between an actress's character and the actress himself.)
Video Summarizing IRL
Here's a short video explaining how to use IRL:Image for IRL
When I write IRL, I mean this:
Summary of Key Points
"In Real Life" is the most common definition for IRL on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.IRL | |
---|---|
Definition: | In Real Life |
Type: | Abbreviation |
Guessability: | ![]() 4: Difficult to guess |
Typical Users: | ![]() Adults and Teenagers |
More...
An Academic Look at IRL
IRL is a prepositional phrase (the preposition is in), which is used as an adverb to establish the setting for the main clause. Compare the examples below:- In York, you can still legally shoot a Scotsman with a bow. (Here, the prepositional phrase In York is an adverb of place.)
- IRL, you'll be sent to prison. (Here, IRL is also an adverb of place but it serves like an adverb of concession, which is similar in meaning to In real life though.)
Example of IRL Used in a Text
IRL
"Cyber Speak" Test
You now know what IRL means, but are you good at Cyber Speak? Well, let's see!
Gold

Silver

Bronze
0
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Cyber Guru (+)
Cyber Hero (+)
Cyber Captain (+)
Cyber Sergeant (+)
Cyber Recruit (+)
Cyber Guru (+)
Cyber Hero (+)
Cyber Captain (+)
Cyber Sergeant (+)
Cyber Recruit (+)
Help Us Improve Cyber Definitions
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
- Do you know a slang term that we've missed?