TL;DR

What Does TL;DR Mean?

The Quick Answer

TL;DR means "Too Long; Didn't Read."

More Detail...

The abbreviation TL;DR is used as a succinct, pointed (and often rude) response to an article, comment or message that the recipient either: hasn't got time to read; can't be bothered to read; or disagrees with, but can't articulate a counter-argument. It can also be used by the author of a long article, comment or message to introduce a summary of the text. TL;DR is often used in forums and comments sections just to troll the recipient. For example:

• Sam: What do you think about my article on religion.
• Boss: TL;DR.
• Sam: That's a bit harsh. It's a complex subject that requires a lot of detail.
• Boss: Give me the TL;DR.
• Sam: OK. The TL;DR is: Catholics: "Sh*t happens;" Protestants: "Lord, let this sh*t happen to someone else;" Jews: "Why does this sh*t always happen to us?;" Hindus: "This sh*t has happened before;" Confucians: "Confucius says, 'Sh*t happens';" Rastas: "Let's roll this sh*t and smoke it!"
(Here, TL;DR is being used to indicate that the boss can't be bothered to read the article, and also to mean "summary.")

• Toni: This scientific article sums it all up perfectly: [shares link].
• Jo: Huh! TL;DR. I'm not going to waste my time reading "facts" by so-called "experts!"
(Here, Jo can't be bothered to read the article, can't articulate a counter-argument, or is trolling Toni.)

TL;DR means the same as TLTR ("Too Long to Read"). It is also typed as TLDR and TLDNR.

Image for TL;DR

When I write TL;DR, I mean this:

TL;DR can also introduce a summary.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

TL;DR
Definition:	Too Long; Didn't Read
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at TL;DR

"Too Long; Did Not Read" is typically used as a standalone declarative sentence (i.e., a statement). However, it can also be used as another part of speech within a wider sentence. When used to introduce a summary, TL;DR is used as a noun (i.e., a naming word) .

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Example of TL;DR Used in a Text

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