DND

What Does DND Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

By far the most common meaning of DND is "Do not disturb." So, if you've received a text from someone with DND, it might be inappropriate to text back. However, a reply might be appropriate. It depends on the context and what else they've said in their message. However, as a general guideline, people use DND because they do not want to be contacted, usually when they're sleeping, working, or on vacation. Sometimes, you will receive an unprompted text with a DND message. Usually, such a text will precede an important event for the sender, like a meeting, an interview, or an exam. If you're quick, a response might be appropriate. For example:

Sarah: About to get called in for the interview. DND
You: Okay. Good luck!

DND Privacy Feature

The abbreviation DND can also refer to the "Do Not Disturb" privacy feature on smartphones. When activated, the feature prevents incoming calls, texts, and notifications. So, if you need peace for sleeping, studying, a meeting, etc., you can activate this feature instead of texting a DND message to all your contacts. This feature also has an "Auto Reply" function, allowing you to explain why the DND function is on. For example:

"Sorry. I am in DND mode until my meetings ends at 3 o'clock."
"I will reply tomorrow. I need sleep. I'm not ignoring you. DND is on.

Replying to a DND "Auto Reply" just generates another one, so don't bother.

Other Meanings for DND

The abbreviation DND has three other popular meanings apart from "Do not disturb." It can also mean "Do not delete," "drunk and disorderly," and "Dungeons and Dragons."

Do Not Delete

DND is also used with the meaning "Do Not Delete." In this context, DND is used to label posts on social media or files that should not be erased. For example:

Lee: Finished at last! That's 20 hours of solid work in that proposal.
Ali: Well done! Mark it as DND and we will keep it as a template.

Drunk and Disorderly

DND can also stand for "Drunk and Disorderly." This is an official police term now used widely to refer to a person who is intoxicated and behaving badly. For example:

Sam: What were you like last night?! You fell asleep just as the trouble was kicking off!
Terry: I always do. But, better drunk and dozy than DND!

The term "Drunk and Disorderly" is also abbreviated as D&D

Dungeons and Dragons

In gaming circles, DND is widely used to refer to the popular role-playing game "Dungeons and Dragons." Check out our comprehensive list of gaming terms.

Image for DND

When I write DND, I mean this:

DND also means "Do Not Delete," "Drunk and Disorderly," and "Dungeons and Dragons."

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

DND
Definition:	Do Not Disturb
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Second Definition for DND

"Do Not Delete" is another common definition for DND.

DND
Definition:	Do Not Delete
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults

Third Definition for DND

DND also means "Drunk and Disorderly."

DND
Definition:	Drunk and Disorderly
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

Fourth Definition for DND

In gaming circles, DND usually means "Dungeons and Dragons."

DND
Definition:	Dungeons and Dragons
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at DND

As it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "Dee Enn Dee"), DND is classified as an initialism abbreviation. Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are abbreviations spoken like words (e.g., GOAT, NATO).