TL;DR or tl;dr, short for "too long; didn't read", is a form of
internet slang frequently used to indicate a summary of a longer text or to express that the content was disregarded because of its excessive length.
History
The expression ''TL;DR'' emerged in the early 2000s during the growth of online forums and digital communication. According to the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which published its first editio ...
'' (OED), the earliest known use of the phrase dates back to a 2002 post on the
Usenet newsgroup
A Usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system for messages posted from users in different locations using the Internet. They are not only discussion groups or conversations, but also a repository to publish articles, start ...
''rec.games.video.nintendo''.
In 2009, the term was further popularized through publications like ''Mo' Urban Dictionary: Ridonkulous Street Slang Defined'' by Aaron Peckham, a printed compilation based on the crowdsourced slang repository
Urban Dictionary
''Urban Dictionary'' is a crowdsourced English-language online dictionary for slang words and phrases. The website was founded in 1999 by Aaron Peckham. Originally, ''Urban Dictionary'' was intended as a dictionary of slang or cultural word ...
.
The same year, ''TL;DR'' was listed in
David Pogue
David Welch Pogue (born March 9, 1963) is an American technology and science writer and TV presenter, and correspondent for ''CBS News Sunday Morning''.
He has hosted 18 ''Nova'' specials on PBS, including '' Nova ScienceNow'', the ''Making Stu ...
's book ''World According to Twitter'', which collected humorous and insightful tweets.
In August 2013, ''TL;DR'' was officially added to
Oxford Dictionaries Online
''Lexico'' was a dictionary website that provided a collection of English and Spanish dictionaries produced by Oxford University Press (OUP), the publishing house of the University of Oxford. While the dictionary content on ''Lexico'' came from ...
, recognizing its widespread use in digital communications.
Merriam-Webster also documented the term, noting its establishment as part of modern digital lexicon.
Usage
''TL;DR'' is commonly used in online discussions, comment sections, and social media posts. Writers often employ the acronym to summarize a preceding lengthy text, allowing readers who prefer brevity to quickly understand the main point.
Conversely, readers might use ''TL;DR'' as a critique, signaling that a text was excessively verbose or lacked clarity.
The acronym reflects broader concerns about
attention span
Attention span is the amount of time spent concentrating on a task before becoming distracted. Distractibility occurs when attention is uncontrollably diverted to another activity or sensation. ''Attention training'' is said to be part of educa ...
,
information overload
Information overload (also known as infobesity, infoxication, or information anxiety) is the difficulty in understanding an issue and Decision making, effectively making decisions when one has too much information (TMI) about that issue, and is ...
, and the
attention economy
The attention economy refers to the incentives of advertising-driven companies, in particular, to maximize the time and attention their users give to their product.
Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats ...
in digital communication.
Cultural impact
The spread of ''TL;DR'' has led to its use beyond casual internet exchanges. Some online publications, especially blogs and news websites, include official "TL;DR" sections summarizing articles for quick consumption. Educational, technical, and legal documents have also adopted similar practices to cater to audiences seeking quick access to core information.
Moreover, the style of communication represented by ''TL;DR'' has sparked discussions around the value of deep reading versus the convenience of summarization in an era dominated by short-form content.
See also
*
Abstract
*
Attention economy
The attention economy refers to the incentives of advertising-driven companies, in particular, to maximize the time and attention their users give to their product.
Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats ...
*
Attention span
Attention span is the amount of time spent concentrating on a task before becoming distracted. Distractibility occurs when attention is uncontrollably diverted to another activity or sensation. ''Attention training'' is said to be part of educa ...
*
BLUF – bottom line up front
*
Information overload
Information overload (also known as infobesity, infoxication, or information anxiety) is the difficulty in understanding an issue and Decision making, effectively making decisions when one has too much information (TMI) about that issue, and is ...
*
Internet culture
Internet culture refers to culture developed and maintained among frequent and active users of the Internet (also known as netizens) who primarily communicate with one another as members of online communities; that is, a culture whose influence ...
*
Skimming (reading)
Speed reading is any of many techniques claiming to improve one's ability to read quickly. Speed-reading methods include chunking and minimizing subvocalization. The many available speed-reading training programs may utilize books, videos, ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:TLDR
Abbreviations
Internet memes
Internet slang