KMS

What Does KMS Mean?

The Quick Answer

KMS means "kill myself" and "kilometers."

More Detail...

The actual meaning depends on the context.

In general use, especially related to distance or speed, kms is a common abbreviation for kilometers, a unit of measurement equal to 1,000 meters or exactly 0.621371 miles. (Although, kilometers is officially abbreviated as "km".) For example:

I ran 10 kms every day for a week. By Friday I was 140 km away from home and had to get a bus back.

However, in internet slang or texting, KMS is often used in a melodramatic or joking manner with the meaning "kill myself", particularly among younger people or in informal online conversations. In this context, it is often employed to express frustration, disappointment, or embarrassment over a situation that is not literally life-threatening, but rather inconvenient or momentarily upsetting. For example:

Thought my camera was off during the meeting and the whole team saw me picking my nose. KMS!
KMS! I just sent a rather suggestive selfie to my boss, instead of to Sam!

In many contexts, KMS is similar in use and meaning to KMN ("Kill Me Now." While it is typically used in a light-hearted way, it is important to be sensitive to an actual cry for help. When in doubt about someone's intent or emotional state, it's always best to respond with empathy and support.

Image for KMS

When I write KMS, I mean this:

The actual meaning of KMS depends on the context.

Summary of Key Points for the First Definition

"Kill Myself" is, by far, the most common meaning for KMS when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

KMS
Definition:	Kill Myself
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for the Second Definition

"Kilometers" is another common definition for KMS.

KMS
Definition:	Kilometers
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at KMS

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

KMS can be considered an initialism abbreviation, as it is pronounced one letter at a time. Other examples of initialisms are AI ("Artificial Intelligence") and EW ("Electronic Warfare"). Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are abbreviations spoken as words (e.g., GOAT ("Greatest Of All Time"), NATO ("North Atlantic Treaty Organization").