What does GRWM mean in a text?

"Get ready with me." Dictionary.com says the abbreviation is most often used for social media videos where a person shows their beauty or fashion routine, like doing makeup or getting dressed for the day or for an event.

A noun, too. People call the video itself a GRWM, as in "Did you see her new date night grwm?" (Dictionary.com's example).

A hashtag. #grwm is how these videos get tagged and found on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Our slang dictionary entry for GRWM explains the video format; this page is about how GRWM shows up in your teen's texts, DMs, captions and comments.

"Get ready with me" videos have been on YouTube since at least the early 2010s, says Dictionary.com, and the abbreviation GRWM has been used since at least 2012. As the format spread to TikTok, Instagram and Twitch, people started using GRWM as a noun for the video itself. Vogue wrote in January 2023 that watching them can feel "like you're chitchatting with a real-life friend over FaceTime."

To talk about a video. "Her school-day grwm" or "a concert grwm" names a specific video they watched or made.

In captions and hashtags. "grwm for the first day" or #grwm on their own post means it's a getting-ready video.

As a plan. "filming a grwm later" means they're going to record their routine.

As a joke. Teens also say it about getting ready with no camera at all, as in "grwm (I have 5 minutes)."

Harmless as a word. There's nothing rude or coded in it. Watching GRWM videos is mostly makeup, outfits and chatting.

Our read: the things worth noticing are around the videos, not the word. Dictionary.com notes these posts often feature beauty products, so some are really ads. And if your teen films their own, the background can show more than they mean to: a school logo, their street, their bedroom, their daily schedule.

If they watch them, show some interest: "Who's your favorite GRWM person? What do you like about them?" You'll learn a lot about what they care about.

If they make them, have the "what's in the frame" talk without banning anything: "Before you post, check what's behind you. Can someone tell where you live or go to school?" Ask who can see the video (everyone, followers or close friends), and talk about how to spot when a creator is being paid to show a product.

• GRWM in the slang dictionary: the full slang entry for the video format.
• 😭 Loudly crying face: the emoji often tacked onto a rushed "grwm."
• 🥀 Wilted rose: mock heartbreak, often seen in captions.
• NPC: another code from teen feeds and comments.
• Teen texting decoded: every emoji and code on one page.
• The Lowkey slang dictionary: every word, not just the texts.