abbreviation

nm

en-EM

Nm (abbreviation) means not much; the standard reply in texting to "what are you doing?" or "what's up?". Example: “� wyd — nm, just watching something”

abbreviation

internet slang Not much; the standard reply in texting to "what are you doing?" or "what's up?".

"— wyd — nm, just watching something"

"nm here, you?"

internet slang Never mind; used to cancel a question you have just asked or a point you were making.

"Do you know where the charger — nm, found it."

technical Nanometre, one billionth of a metre, the unit used for wavelengths of light and for chip manufacturing processes.

"Green light has a wavelength of about 550 nm."

"The processor is built on a 3 nm node."

technical Nautical mile, a distance of 1,852 metres used in sea and air navigation; also New Mexico in US postal addresses.

"The airport lies 12 nm north of the city."

How to Use Nm

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishText shorthand for "not much" — or, in science, one billionth of a metre.

When to use it

Lower-case nm in texting and in scientific units; NM in capitals is New Mexico or a nautical mile.

Memory tip

If someone asks what you are doing, "nm, wbu?" — not much, what about you — is the complete standard reply.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

nvm → nmu mm → NM →

Common pairings

nm wbu 550 nm 7 nm process

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “nm” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

— wyd — _____, just watching something

Etymology

An initialism, standing in different contexts for "not much", "never mind", nanometre or nautical mile.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

nmu nothing much not much nvm never mind forget it

Related Words

nvm dw hakuna matata NTM

Frequently Asked Questions

What does nm mean in a text?

Most often "not much", answering a question like "wyd" or "what's up". If it appears on its own straight after a question the sender asked, it means "never mind" instead — they have worked it out or lost interest.

What is the difference between nm and nvm?

nvm only ever means "never mind". nm is ambiguous and usually means "not much", so if you want to cancel a question clearly, nvm is the safer choice.

Is nm nanometre or nautical mile?

Context decides. In physics, optics and chip manufacturing it is the nanometre and is always lower case. In navigation and aviation it is the nautical mile, more often written NM to avoid the clash.

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nvm dw hakuna matata NTM