What Does WSP Mean? What's Up, as a Greeting and as 'What's Wrong?'

WSP turns up in Snapchat chats, Instagram DMs, TikTok comments and ordinary texts. It's quick to type, it's friendly, and it doesn't carry any hidden rude meaning. What it does carry is the whole range of 'what's up', from a lazy greeting to a worried question. Here's how to tell them apart and reply without overthinking it.

WSP spelled out: what's up without the vowels

Dictionary.com says WSP is short for 'what's up', taking the W from 'what', the S from the contracted 'is' and the P from 'up'. Wiktionary files it under internet and text messaging slang and, a nice detail, in its list of English words spelled without vowels. That's part of the appeal: it's three consonants and you're done.

Dictionary.com also says WSP has been used for 'what's up' in texting and online since at least the early 2000s, and possibly since the early days of the internet. So it isn't a new TikTok invention, even if it feels that way. It's an old abbreviation that's had a second life with younger users.

Greeting or 'what's wrong?': the two jobs of WSP

Dictionary.com notes that WSP covers all the meanings of 'what's up', and Cambridge Dictionary spells those meanings out. It lists 'what's up?' as a way of asking what's happening, often as a greeting, and also as a way of asking what's wrong, as in 'You seem upset. What's up?'. Cambridge also lists the spellings 'wassup?' and 'whassup?' for the friendly greeting.

That split is the key to reading WSP. If it arrives out of the blue at the start of a chat, it's a hello. If it arrives after you've posted something sad, cancelled plans or gone silent, it's a friend checking you're OK. The letters are the same, but the reply you'd send is very different.

Punctuation helps a little. A plain 'wsp' with no question mark leans toward a lazy hello, and plenty of people don't bother with a question mark at all. 'wsp??' with two question marks, or 'u ok? wsp', leans toward concern. When in doubt, answer the hello and leave the door open: 'not much, all good here, why, what's up with you?'. That covers both readings without making it awkward.

WSP with that: the confused, annoyed version

There's a third use that sits in the middle of a sentence. Dictionary.com's own example is someone complaining that drinks were advertised as free, then charged anyway: 'Wsp with that?'. Here WSP means 'what's going on with that?' and it's a mild complaint, not a greeting.

You'll see this in sports chats ('wsp with the refs tonight') and in comments under confusing posts. It's usually more puzzled than angry, but it does tell you the sender thinks something isn't right.

The giveaway is the word 'with'. 'Wsp' on its own is a greeting. 'Wsp with...' points at something specific, a team, a teacher, a delivery or a friend who's acting oddly, and asks what's going on with it. Cambridge Dictionary gives the same pattern for the full phrase, with examples like 'What's up with Dad this evening? He's in a terrible mood.' If someone writes 'wsp with you lately?', they've noticed you seem off and they're asking gently.

WSP, wassup and 'what's up with...' compared

Here's a quick guide to the different shapes it takes:

Message	What they mean	A good reply
'wsp'	Hi, what's happening?	'Not much, you?' or a quick update
'wsp?' after bad news	What's wrong, are you OK?	An honest answer, even a short one
'wsp with...'	What's going on with this?	Explain, or agree it's strange
'wassup' or 'whassup'	A louder, playful hello	Match the energy or just say hi
'wsp today friends?'	A greeting to a group	A reply to the group or a reaction

Made-up WSP chats from Snapchat, Instagram and group texts

These are made-up messages to show how it's used:

• 'wsp' as the only message on a Saturday morning. A friend's saying hi and maybe hoping to make plans.
• 'saw your story, wsp?' After a sad post, this is a check-in.
• 'wsp with the bus being late every day.' A grumble about something annoying.
• 'wsp everyone, how we doing' at the top of a group chat. A cheerful hello to all.

Replying to WSP from a friend, a crush or a parent

You don't need to use the abbreviation back. Pick the reply that fits who's asking:

1. From a friend, keep it short: 'not much, just got home, you?'.
2. From a crush, add a question so the chat has somewhere to go: 'just finished work, what are you up to?'.
3. From a parent, they may be checking in, so a full sentence will reassure them more than 'nm'.
4. If it's a 'what's wrong?' WSP, answer honestly or say you'll explain later.

If someone replies to your 'thanks' with YW, they're saying 'you're welcome', and you can read more about what YW means in a chat if that one's new to you.

Can a brand say WSP in DMs?

My advice for brands is to read WSP warmly and reply in plain words. When a customer opens a DM with 'wsp', they're just saying hi, so answer with a friendly 'Hi! How can we help?'. Copying their slang back can sound forced, especially if your account doesn't usually talk that way.

If you run a playful account for a younger audience, a 'wsp everyone' at the start of a Story or a broadcast message can fit, as long as it matches your voice elsewhere. I'd avoid it in anything formal: emails, invoices, complaints or anything about a delivery problem. And if a customer writes 'wsp with my order?', treat it as a complaint, not a greeting, and reply with the details they need. If you message customers on more than one app, my comparison of iMessage and WhatsApp covers how the two differ.

Frequently asked questions

What does WSP mean in a text?

It means 'what's up', used as a casual hello or a way to ask how you are.

Can WSP mean 'what's wrong'?

Yes. 'What's up' can also mean 'what's wrong', so a WSP after bad news is usually a check-in.

What should I reply to WSP?

A short update works, such as 'not much, you?', or an honest answer if they're checking you're OK.

Is WSP new slang?

No. Dictionary.com says it's been used online and in texts since at least the early 2000s.

Is WSP the same as wassup?

They mean the same thing. Wassup is a spoken-style spelling of 'what's up', and WSP is the short texting version.