{"id":7360,"date":"2022-08-13T18:03:12","date_gmt":"2022-08-13T18:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=7360"},"modified":"2022-08-13T18:03:12","modified_gmt":"2022-08-13T18:03:12","slug":"omw-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/omw-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"OMW \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you on the way to a friend's house to pick them up? You could text them with 'omw' to let them know you'll be there soon.<\/p>\n

This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The acronym 'omw<\/em>' stands for 'on my way<\/em>.' It means that you're en route to a destination. The abbreviation lets someone know you're on your way and your arrival is imminent. The acronym helps you avoid committing to a definite arrival time or admitting to being late.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\"Omg, I'm so sorry I'm running late. I'm omw right now. I'm typing this in the car, I promise. I'll cu in 15.\"<\/p>\n

\"I'm omw to you now. I got held up with things at work, and the boss made me stay an extra hour. I'll cu in a minute.\"<\/p>\n

\"Ok already, I'm OMW, and I'll get to you soon. Stop nagging me, or you'll make me crash the car.\"<\/p>\n

\"I told him I'm omw now. Let's finish getting ready and leave in 30. I like to make my men sweat for me a bit.\"<\/p>\n

\"I just got in the car, and I'm omw. You can start dinner without me, I'm going to be 25 minutes, and I don't want you to have to wait for me.\"<\/p>\n

\"I'm omw. I just boarded the plane, and the pilot's telling me to turn my phone onto airplane mode. I'll text you when I'm in the baggage claim.\"<\/p>\n

\"I'm omw with Jenny now. We just left the train station, and we're waiting for the Uber. I think we'll be about another 20 minutes.\"<\/p>\n

\"Omw to you now. We got stuck in traffic over the bridge, but it's clear now, and we're moving again. See you in around ten minutes.\"<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The acronym 'omw' originates from text-based abbreviations created in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Before the invention of the QWERTY keyboard and predictive text, cell phone users relied on the number keypad to write text messages. However, typing messages was a hassle due to the need to press a single key several times to select the preferred character.<\/p>\n

So, to reduce time and effort typing messages, users started abbreviating comm0on phrases and sayings, like 'omw.' Other classic examples would be 'lol' (laugh out loud) and 'ttys' (talk to you soon). Despite QWERTY keyboards and predictive text making the need for abbreviations obsolete, many users chose to use abbreviations in their messages.<\/p>\n