ZUP

What Does ZUP Mean in a Text?

ZUP means "What's Up?" or "What's happening?". The term ZUP is a shortened version of "What's up?", which is a colloquial way of asking what is happening. Even though ZUP is a question, when spoken aloud, it does not always require an answer because (through common usage), it has become a greeting meaning simply "hello." In fact, when spoken, ZUP can even be answered with ZUP.

When written, however, the person who writes ZUP usually expects an answer detailing what has been happening.

Image for ZUP

When I write ZUP, I mean this:

ZUP means "What's up?" or "What's happening?".

Summary of Key Points

"What’s Up?" is the most common definition for ZUP on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

ZUP
Definition:	What’s Up?
Type:	Slang Word (Jargon)
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults, Teenagers, and Under 13s

Examples of ZUP in Sentences

Here are examples of ZUP being used in conversations:

• Tony: Hey, ZUP?.
• Jordan: Nothing much. I'm skint.

• Tony: ZUP, brother?
• Jordan: Just lying on my bed snapchatting with everyone.

An Academic Look at ZUP

ZUP is typically used as an interrogative sentence (i.e., a question), but, for brevity, it is not always used with a question mark.

Of note, ZUP is a contraction of what's and up. It is, however, an unusual contraction because contractions typically use the opening letters of the fully expanded version (e.g., AMP from amplifier), use letters from the start and end of the fully expanded version (e.g., Dr from Doctor), or replace a letter(s) with an apostrophe (e.g., can't from cannot).

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "What's occurring?" or "What's happening?" instead of ZUP.

Example of ZUP Used in a Text

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