What Does FW Mean? Snapchat, Texting, and More

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Eric McClure

Last Updated: March 16, 2022

Did someone say they “fw” you and now you’re wondering whether you should be flattered or insulted? We’re here to walk you through what fw mean on Snapchat. We’ll also cover how to use fw and what it might mean if it’s being used in an especially obscure way. Read on to learn everything you need to know about fw.

Section 1 of 3:

What does fw mean on Snapchat?

Fw typically means “f*ck with” on Snapchat. It means the same thing across other platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and text as well. When someone says “fw” on Snapchat, it almost certainly mean “f*ck with” or “f*ck wit.” You can use this to mean you like something (“I fw cheeseburgers”), you associate with or like someone (“I really fw you”), or that you’re going to mess with someone (“I’m going to fw Ms. Bradley for giving us homework”).^{[1]
X
Research source} You might say:
- “I don’t usually like hip hop, but I really fw this new Lil Wayne song.”
- “I want to fw my mom for grounding me. What can I do?”
- “You know I fw you! You’re my bff.”

Section 2 of 3:

How to Use fw

1
Use fw to stress how much you like something. Usually, fw is used positively to say you really really like something. It’s a good thing if someone says they “fw you.” If you want to use it yourself, just put “fw” in front of whatever you like!
- “I fw our history teacher.”
- “I really fw Nancy. She’s so cool.”
- “Do you like my sweater? I fw it hard.”
2
Emphasize how you don’t like something with fw. Throw a “don’t” in front of “fw” and voila! You can let someone know you seriously you aren’t a fan. Whether it’s a person you don’t like or your frustration with some minor inconvenience, this is an easy and casual way to say you’re annoyed.
- “I cannot fw people who don’t text u back.”
- “I really don’t fw the way my brother talks to me.”
- “I don’t understand the appeal of heavy metal. I really don’t fw all the screaming.”
3
Communicate how attracted you are to someone with fw. You can also use fw to express how much you like someone romantically. If you want to hint at the way you feel, try being a little flirtatious and suggestive with fw when you’re talking to someone you like. You might say:
- “Your new hairstyle looks cute. I really fw that look on you.”
- “I fw you 😏”
- “I really fw the way you smile at me.”
4
You might use fw to say you’ll interfere with something. People often say “f*ck with” when they mean “bother” or “mess with.” If you want to tell someone that you’re going to annoy somebody or interfere with someone’s plans, you can say that you’re going to “fw them.”
- “If Molly doesn’t stop talking trash, I’m going to fw her life so hard.”
- “I don’t know who Mr. Holloday thinks he is, but I’m going to fw him tomorrow if he calls me out again.”
- “I’m gonna fw my cat by putting cat nip on my desk. She’s going to go nuts.”

Section 3 of 3:

Alternative Definitions

1
It could mean “forwarding” in reference to email. If you see fw referenced in an email or in a text message about an email, it probably means “forward” or “forwarding.”^{[2]
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Research source}
- If someone says, “Can you fw me that history assignment?” they want you to email you whatever message contains your history assignment.
- If someone says, “I’m going to fw you the email,” they’re saying they’ll send you a copy of someone else’s email.
2
It might refer to Frederik Willem de Klerk in historical conversations. This is a pretty fringe usage, but on history forums or history convos on Twitter, FW (or FW de Klerk) is probably a shortened version of Frederik Willem de Klerk. He was the South African politician who freed Nelson Mandela.^{[3]
X
Research source} He’s got a pretty long name, so people will use FW as shorthand.