Acronyms dictionary
FW
[ef-duhb-uh l-yoo]
does FW mean?
In email, FWtypically refers toforwarding a message. In internet slang,FWstands forfuck with.
Where does FW come from?

Email forwarding has existed since at least the 1980s, though email itself is older. Forwarding involves sending an email or email thread to a recipient not originally included in the message. If someone receives a forwarded message, an email server will denote this with the abbreviationFw:in the subject line. This abbreviation has been around since at least the 1990s.
I bet this works in cars too. Driving a car with an mpg meter is like playing a game – FW: Msg: ev: "You can save 10-12 percent of household energy sim
— Lilly Irani (@gleemie)
Internet slang and texting are awash with sweary abbreviations. (See:WTF or STFU)It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when FW for fuck with first appears, but it’s common by the 2010s, both due to its shorthand convenience and also itseuphemistic workaround for profanity filters.
Examples of FW

Who uses FW?
Since its inception, email forwarding has been a convenient way to pass along inspirational quotes and/or upcoming flight details. FW is often used as a throwback to the early internet, when parents and grandparents would forwardjokes or pithy messages on email chains.
I love my mum but not her FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: emails. Something about that generation that just doesn't get technological etiquette.
— Hannah Hunt (@HuntHannah)
In this age of smartphones and Twitter, however,FW typicallymeans tofuck withsomeone or something. It’s a fairlyversatile phrase in English, as is itsFWshorthand.
I'm tryin to fw yoga this summer
— Savannah🌄 (@savannahhall25)
FW can mean tomesswith,toy with, or otherwisemaltreatthem.
Don't fw behind gil cause she WILL cut yo ass. Lmao!
— Ke.🥀 (@kekelewinskie)
More generally, people use FW todenote something or someone they enjoy, orfuck with.
Dolly Pawton is the only dog account I fw
— lilfatty666 (@Ayeshalalala)
FW is often used in playful instances, especially for people who roll in the same circles, e.g., fuck (around) with each other.
As long as ppl who fw me and ppl I fw follow me on this im really cool 💯
— Blessed (@BlessedDropEm)
Besides email and slang,FW can stand for the position of forward in association football.It’s also used as an abbreviation for Fort Worth, Texas, as in D-FW(Dallas-Forth Worth).
Me when I went to shows in Dallas, being from FW. Not even a suburb lol.
— recoverytime aaron (@aarongonzalez)
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of FW like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of FW that will help our users expand their word mastery.