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:?

What Does :? Mean?

:? Indicates Confusion, Doubt, or Skepticism

image for :? showing the :? characters

In texting and online chats, :? usually means someone is puzzled, doubtful, or thinks something doesn't make sense - like typing "What?" or "Huh?". It can also express gentle sarcasm or questioning disbelief, similar to raising an eyebrow in real life.

The combo comes from early emoticon culture, and while less common now (replaced by emojis like ๐Ÿ˜•, ๐Ÿค”, and ๐Ÿคจ), it still pops up in chats, especially among old school "digital natives," such as Millennials and some Zoomers. Here are a few examples:
  • A: "I've decided to give it another go with Sam."
  • B: "Seriously! :?"
  • A: "We should just walk there. It's only 5 miles."
  • B: ":?"
  • A: "We're meeting at 3 pm on Tuesday."
  • B: "Wait, Tuesday is a work day :?"

Definition of :?

meaning of :?

:? usually means something doesn't make sense.

Summary of Key Points

:?
Definition:Confused
Type:Icon
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 an old-school emoticon. Emoticons are basically the OG emojis โ€” little faces made from keyboard symbols. They let you show vibes and feelings in text, like happy, sad, or annoyed, without using actual pictures. Just a few characters (letters, numbers, or symbols from a standard keyboard) are used to make a mini-illustration of the mood you're trying to send.

Emoticons have largely been made redundant on most messaging apps, as users now have access to emojis and many emoticons are automatically replaced with the corresponding emoji. However, many people still use them when they're in a hurry or want to give a message an old school vibe.

Example of :? Used in a Text

:?
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