RTFD

What Does RTFD Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

RTFD means "Read the F**king Description."

More Observations...

The abbreviation RTFD is an irritated response to someone asking a question when they shouldn't because the answer to their question is apparent from documentation already supplied. For example:

• Mark: Will we be staying in a twin room and will there be aircon and parking?
• Simon: RTFD!

Image for RTFD

When I write RTFD, I mean this:

The image shows people reading the description of the task.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

RTFD
Definition:	Read the F**king Description
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of RTFD in Sentences

Here are examples of RTFD in conversations:

• Anna: So what exactly do I have to do each day?
• Karen: You've got the job contract so just RTFD.

• Saul: I have some questions for the boss about the meeting.
• Ron: You'd better RTFD before you ask them.

An Academic Look at RTFD

RTFD is an initialism abbreviation. Technically, this means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., Arr Tee Eff Dee), but as this is harder to say than "Read the f***ing description," it is not often uttered using its letters. In other words, the abbreviation RTFD is for efficiency in writing and not efficiency in speech. RTFD is used as an imperative (i.e., an order) and can stand alone as a complete sentence.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "do your research" or "look at the description" instead of RTFD.

Example of RTFD Used in a Text

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