:/

What Does :/ Mean?

image for :/, showing an emoticon

The emoticon :/ is one of the most difficult to define. It is commonly used to express feelings of discomfort, uncertainty, mild annoyance, or dissatisfaction. It can also convey a sense of skepticism or the idea that something is awkward or not entirely right. Essentially, it's used to depict a mixed or conflicted emotional response that isn't necessarily strongly negative, but indicates some level of unease or concern. For example:

Indecision...

  • Toni: What's your biggest weakness?
  • Jordan: Indecisiveness... I think :/

Skepticism...

  • Sam: What do you think of skepticism?
  • Les: :/ I'm not sure I buy it.

Exasperation...

  • Lee: I'm running a little late. Be there in twenty minutes.
  • Dee: You'll be late for your own funeral. :/
  • Lee: Hope so!

Annoyance...

  • Jo: If everywhere you go there's a problem, guess what?
  • Ali: :/ I am going to unfollow you in real life!
Check out our complete list of emoticons.

Image for :/

When I write :/, I my mean this:

meaning of :/

:/ is commonly used to express feelings of discomfort, uncertainty, mild annoyance, or dissatisfaction.

Summary of Key Points

"Indecision, skepticism, exasperation, and annoyance" are some of the most common definitions of the emoticon :/ on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
:/
Definition:Indecision, Skepticism, Exasperation, Annoyance
Type:Emoticon
Guessability:guessability level 3
3: Guessable
Typical Users:typical user

Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at :/

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

:/ is classified as emoticon. Emoticons are a way to show emotion in text-based communication. They consist of a small group of symbols arranged to show emotions, such as happiness, sadness, and anger, using the letters, numbers, and symbols usually found on a standard keyboard in a typographic approximation of the desired illustration.

Emoticons have largely been made redundant on most messaging apps, as users now have access to a large number of emojis and most emoticons are automatically replaced with the corresponding emoji.

Example of :/ Used in a Text

:/
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