# What does WSG mean?

Canonical: https://postmesh.app/glossary/wsg

By PostMesh team. Published 2026-10-31; updated 2026-10-31.

WSG stands for What's good. WSG stands for what's good, a casual greeting that works like what's up or how's it going. It's mostly used by younger people in texts, DMs and comments, and it usually expects a short, easy answer.

## What WSG means

WSG is short for what's good. [Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/acronyms/wsg) defines it as a way to ask people how their life is going, with the same meaning as what's up or how's it going, and notes that it's used in informal writing, especially texting and social media.

Think of it as hello with a question mark. It's friendly, relaxed and low effort. Nobody sending wsg expects a detailed update. They want a reply that opens the conversation: "nm, wbu", "all good", "chilling, you?"

It can also do a little more than greet. "wsg" can be a casual way to ask what's happening tonight, or what someone needs, the way "what's good with the party?" asks for details. And in a public post, "wsg" at the end of a caption invites anyone to say hi back.

The spoken greeting it comes from is close to what's up. [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/what%27s%20up) labels what's up as informal US English and a friendly greeting. [Cambridge](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/what-s-up) notes a second use of what's up: asking what's wrong. Wsg rarely carries that worried sense. It's upbeat by default.

## Where WSG comes from

WSG is newer than most texting abbreviations. Dictionary.com says the short form seems to have emerged around 2019 or 2020, and that it spread through the platforms people were using most then, especially TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. Its examples include posts from March 2021 and August 2022, and its entry on wsg is dated September 22, 2023.

Dictionary.com doesn't date the spoken greeting what's good itself, only the abbreviation. Wsg simply compresses the phrase to three letters for fast typing, the same move that turned what are you doing into [WYD](/glossary/wyd). Dictionary.com notes that it's most common among younger people, which fits where you see it most: group chats, Snapchat, comments and DMs.

- Around 2019 to 2020: WSG seems to emerge as short for what's good, per Dictionary.com
- Early 2020s: Spreads on TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, per Dictionary.com
- March 2021: Earliest example post Dictionary.com quotes
- September 2023: Dictionary.com publishes its wsg entry

*Source: Dictionary.com. The exact first use isn't documented.*

## How people use WSG on social media

WSG is mostly a chat opener. It shows up at the top of Snapchat and Instagram [DMs](/glossary/dm), in group chats and in Discord servers. It often comes with a name or a nickname: "wsg bro", "wsg y'all". In a group chat, a wsg is a roll call: it checks who's around without asking anyone in particular. In a one-on-one chat, it's an opener that hands the next move to the other person.

In public, it's a friendly sign-off or invitation. On [TikTok](/platform/tiktok), "wsg" in a comment is a casual hello to the creator or to whoever is reading. On [Instagram](/platform/instagram), it can close a caption or a story the way "hey everyone" might. On X, it occasionally opens a post aimed at followers. On LinkedIn, it would look out of place.

Some example messages, written for this page:

- Opening a DM: "wsg"
- To a friend: "wsg bro, you good?"
- To a group chat: "wsg y'all, anyone up?"
- Asking about plans: "wsg for tonight?"
- Caption on a beach photo: "back from vacation, wsg"
- Comment on a creator's video: "wsg from Ohio"
- Reply to a wsg: "nm just got home, wsg w you"

You'll see spellings like wassgood or wass good written out, as in one of Dictionary.com's examples, and wsg with extra letters for emphasis. "wsg w you" or "wsg with you" turns it into a direct question about the other person.

## What WSG means from a friend, a crush or a stranger

From a friend, wsg is a plain hello. They're bored, they're checking in, or they're about to tell you something. The reply can be just as casual, and if they had a reason for messaging, it usually arrives in their next text.

From a crush, it's a low-pressure way to start talking. It doesn't commit to anything, which makes it easy to send and easy to answer. If you want the chat to go somewhere, your reply has to do a bit of work: give a detail, ask about something specific to them, or pick up a thread from your last conversation.

From a stranger, especially one who lands in your message requests, wsg is a cold open with nothing behind it. It could be someone you met once, a fan, a spammer or a person hoping you'll do the work of starting a conversation. You can ask what they want, or you can leave it unanswered. If an account keeps messaging, blocking or restricting it is always an option.

## How to reply to WSG

Keep it light and send a question back. A wsg is an invitation to chat, so the best replies give a quick update and pass the turn. One-word answers like "nm" are fine between close friends, but adding "you?" or "[wbu](/glossary/wbu)" keeps things moving.

**Who sent the wsg?**
- A close friend → Short and easy: "nm, wbu" or "chilling, you?"
- A crush → Add a real detail: "just got back from the gym. wsg with you?"
- A coworker → Answer in your normal voice: "Not much, what's up?"
- A stranger in your DMs → Ignore it, or reply briefly and ask what they need

Some replies for different situations:

- To a friend: "[nm](/glossary/nm) just vibing, hbu"
- To a friend with news: "bro I got the job"
- To a crush: "not much, just thinking about texting you actually"
- To a crush, low-key: "chilling. you?"
- To a coworker who sent wsg in Slack: "Hey. Not much, what's up?"
- To a stranger in message requests: "hey, what's this about?"
- To a comment on your post: a like, or "hey, thanks for watching"

The platform shapes the reply. On Snapchat and Instagram, lowercase with no punctuation is the norm, and mirroring the other person's style feels natural. Over text with someone older, "Hey, not much, how are you?" is safer. In a work chat, even if a coworker opens with wsg, reply in plain words. If a stranger opens with it, you're not obliged to answer at all.

> Took a while to answer? That's fine. A wsg carries no urgency, so a late "sorry, just saw this, wsg" is a perfectly normal reply. If the other person needed something, they'll say so.

## When not to use WSG

WSG is youthful and very casual. Dictionary.com notes it's most common among younger people, so with older relatives, teachers, managers or clients it may not be understood, and when it is, it can come across as too familiar. "Hi, how are you?" works for everyone.

It's also a weak opener when you actually need something. If you're messaging someone about a job, a sale or a favor, a bare wsg makes them wait for the point. Lead with the reason instead: "Hey, I saw you're selling the bike, is it still available?"

Brand accounts can use it in a playful caption aimed at a young audience, like a story that asks followers to say hi, but it rarely fits a reply to a customer who wrote in with a question. And three-letter greetings aren't accessible to everyone, including people reading in a second language or using a screen reader, which will read it out letter by letter.

**WSG is fine when**
- [ ] You're greeting a friend or someone your age
- [ ] It's a casual chat, comment or caption
- [ ] You don't need anything specific from them
- [ ] It isn't a work message, a pitch or a support reply
- [ ] You'll add something after they answer

## WSG compared with similar greetings

| Greeting | Stands for | What it asks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WSG | What's good | How things are going, casually |
| What's up | Written out in full | The same, though it can also mean what's wrong |
| WYD | What (are) you doing | What you're up to right now |
| HYD / HRU | How (are) you doing / How are you | How you're feeling |
| HMU | Hit me up | For you to reach out later |

WSG and what's up are near twins. [WYD](/glossary/wyd) is more specific: it asks what you're doing, often because the sender wants to make plans. [HYD](/glossary/hyd) and [HRU](/glossary/hru) ask about your well-being and invite a more personal answer. [HMU](/glossary/hmu) isn't a greeting at all, it's an invitation to get in touch. If you're unsure which to send, wsg is the most neutral of the bunch among friends.

## Questions

### Is WSG a greeting or a question?

Both. It's a greeting phrased as a question, like what's up, and a quick answer such as "nm, wbu" is all it expects.

### What does WSG mean on Snapchat?

The same as anywhere else: what's good. On Snapchat it's a very common way to start a chat with a friend.

### How do you reply to WSG?

Give a short update and ask back, like "chilling, wbu?" Mirror the other person's tone and keep it light.

### Is WSG flirty?

Not by itself. It's a neutral greeting, though from a crush any opener can be a sign they want to talk.

### What's the difference between WSG and WYD?

WSG is a general hello that asks how things are going. WYD asks specifically what you're doing right now.

### Is WSG new slang?

Fairly new. Dictionary.com says the abbreviation seems to have emerged around 2019 or 2020, which makes it younger than most texting shorthand.

## Related terms

- [WYD](https://postmesh.app/glossary/wyd)

- [HYD](https://postmesh.app/glossary/hyd)

- [HRU](https://postmesh.app/glossary/hru)

- [WBU](https://postmesh.app/glossary/wbu)

- [NM](https://postmesh.app/glossary/nm)

- [HMU](https://postmesh.app/glossary/hmu)

## Sources

- [Dictionary.com: wsg](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/acronyms/wsg)

- [Merriam-Webster: what's up](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/what%27s%20up)

- [Cambridge Dictionary: what's up](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/what-s-up)