What Does SMH Mean? Snapchat, Texting, and More

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: April 4, 2022

If you’re not up-to-date on the latest texting lingo, words like “SMH” are probably super confusing to stumble across. There’s no need to worry, though—we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for a detailed guide on what exactly this popular acronym means, and how you can sprinkle it into your own texting and social media vernacular.

Section 1 of 5:

What does SMH mean on Snapchat?

SMH stands for “Shaking My Head.” A lot of times, people physically shake their heads when they disapprove of something or feel disappointed. SMH (sometimes spelled smh) is a simple way of putting that physical motion and attitude into words—or, in this case, an acronym. It also means “Shaking My Head” when used on other social media platforms, like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.^{[1]
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- “SMH the vending machine was out of Skittles 😭”
- “He tried asking me out again, but I said no. He’s so desperate smh”

Section 2 of 5:

What does SMH mean in texting?

SMH means “Shaking My Head” on every platform. SMH doesn’t have any extra-special meaning when you send it over text versus when you send it over Snapchat. When you either send or receive an SMH message, you’re always saying “shaking my head.”
- “I can’t you believe you forgot your mom’s birthday SMH”

Section 3 of 5:

How to Use SMH

1
Share your disapproval about something. Did your friend just share an unpopular take in the chat, or do you just have an opinion you’d like to share? Either way, SMH is a simple but effective way to add a disapproving edge to any message.^{[2]
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- “That wasn’t even a genuine apology SMH”
- “I can’t believe you actually think strawberry ice cream is better than chocolate smh”
2
Drop an SMH to show how disappointed or annoyed you are. Maybe the power went out randomly, or your favorite TV show just got canceled. SMH is a great way to express your disappointment about anything and everything, so don’t hold back!^{[3]
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- “SMH the store closed early”
- “My refrigerator is broken again smh”
- “The bus is 20 minutes late smh”

Section 4 of 5:

How to Reply to SMH

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Speak out against someone’s disapproval or disagreement with you. A friend might leave an SMH in the chat as a firm way to disagree with or disapprove of your opinion. Dish it right back to them with a playful quip or response of your own!
- Them: “SMH is that pineapple on your pizza? I think I’m gonna be sick 🤢”
  You: “Pineapple is the best pizza topping there is 😤”
- Them: “SMH you actually like Lifetime movies?? 😂😂”
  You: “Don’t be such a hater! They’re a huge guilty pleasure of mine 😝”
2
Sympathize with someone’s frustrating situation. In many cases, people “SMH” to emphasize that they’re in an irritating or inconvenient situation. Offer a few supportive words to let them know that you’re in their corner, and that you hope things get better.
- Them: Grocery store was out of milk smh”
  You: “Oh no! That’s the worst 😭”
- Them: My co-worker was so rude to me smh”
  You: “OMG I’m so sorry! She should learn some manners 😡”

Section 5 of 5:

Variations

SMDH stands for “Shaking My Damn Head.” For all intents and purposes, SMH and SMDH mean the exact thing. Some people just like to use SMDH to give their comment or response a little extra emphasis.^{[4]
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- “Had to wait for over an hour at the doctor’s office…SMDH”
- “She had absolutely no right to treat you that way. SMDH”