If you’ve ever scrolled through your For You Page on TikTok, you might have encountered the popular term ‘ASL’ or ‘asl’ and wondered what it means.
As with any social media app, a whole new set of vocabulary has emerged from the many trends, memes, and inside jokes that populateTikTok, with whole comment sections sometimes being flooded with the sameobscure phrase.
This can be confusing for people first starting out on TikTok, or even those who have been on the platform for a while, and you may be left wondering what people are talking about.
ASL or ‘asl’ is one such term that has been used on theshort-form video appfrequently, however, the acronym can take on a whole host of different meanings.
ASL meaning on TikTok
First, it’s worth noting that some of the below meanings are not exclusive to TikTok, and which definition is being used in any given video or comment will differ depending on the context.
The latest definition that has confused a large number of social media users, is ‘as hell.’ When used in this context, it will usually be written in lower case. Some have taken to the abbreviation and have started using it in their posts both on and off TikTok, whereas others are less keen on the idea.
anytime i see someone type “asl” as “as hell” i read it as “age, sex, location”
NO HOW IS “asl” SHORT FOR “as hell” WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
Many will know ASL as primarily meaning American Sign Language, and there is a wealth of content on the app relating to it, including lessons, tutorials, and song covers. Usually, in this context, it will be written in all caps.
Another popular meaning of the word is ‘age, sex, location,’ though this abbreviation could be considered outdated to some.
ASL is far from the only acronym or slang term that is confusing thousands of people across TikTok. Terms like POV, mid, and accountant all have their own specific meanings on the app.
If you are struggling to understand some of the most frequently used words on TikTok, thenyou can check out our slang guide here.
Georgina Smith was an Entertainment Writer on Dexerto’s UK team, specializing in viral, TikTok, YouTube and Twitch content. She also covered reality TV shows from Below Deck to Love Island.
