PAL

What Does PAL Mean?

PAL means "Parents Are Listening."

The abbreviation PAL is an acronym used by children and teenagers with the meaning "Parents Are Listening" to indicate to the recipient that the parents of the sender can see or hear their conversation. PAL is effectively a coded instruction to be discreet until the all-clear is given.

Other codes with similar meanings to PAL include:

Image for PAL

When I write PAL, I mean this: meaning of PAL Watch out! There's a parent about!

Summary of Key Points

"Parents Are Listening" is the most common definition for PAL on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
PAL
Definition:Parents Are Listening
Type:Acronym
Guessability:
2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:
Teenagers and Under 13s

More...

Examples of PAL in Sentences

Here are examples of PAL being used in conversations:
  • Sally: PAL.
  • Sinita: I agree. Are you coming to soccer practice?
  • Groomer: Would you like to meet this weekend?
  • Child: PAL. It would be cool to arrange a study session for Saturday.

An Academic Look at PAL

As it is spoken like a word, PAL is an acronym. Acronyms contrast with initialism abbreviations, which are pronounced using their individual letters.

PAL is used as a standalone declarative sentence (i.e., a statement). In other words, it is not used as another part of speech within a wider sentence.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "I can't talk" instead of using PAL.

Example of PAL Used in a Text

PAL

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?
Please tell us using this form.

See Also

@@@ (Warning Of Parents Nearby) KPC (Keep Parents Clueless) P999 (Parent Alert (UK)) PAW (Parents Are Watching)