What Does HM Mean? Snapchat, Texting, and More

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: May 17, 2024 Fact Checked

If you've received a message with the "HM" abbreviation over text or social media, you might be wondering what it means. This acronym is a little tricky because it can mean a couple of different things! Don't worry: in this article, we'll explain each possible meaning and help you figure out which version of HM your friends are using. We'll also give you tips and examples for using HM in your own messages going forward.

“Hm” Meaning in Text

If a friend or family member texts you “hm,” they’re probably taking a moment to think and consider a more complete response. If you ask them for advice, for example, they may say “Hm…that’s a difficult situation!”

Section 1 of 7:

“HM” Meaning on Snapchat

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"HM" can stand for "high maintenance" on Snapchat. "High maintenance" usually describes someone who needs a lot of attention or has particularly expensive taste.^{[1]
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Research source} Other popular messaging and social media apps that use this definition include WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
- "I admit, I can be pretty HM sometimes. 😅"
- "My whole family is so HM! It's exhausting."
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"Hm" is also a term used when someone is thinking. Essentially, "Hm" is spelled out to represent the sound that people make when they're lost in thought. It has a lot of different purposes on messaging apps; you can use it to sound thoughtful, accepting, bored, or skeptical.^{[2]
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- "Hm, let me think about that and get back to you!"
- "Hm, I think I agree with you."

Section 2 of 7:

“HM” Meaning in Texting

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“HM” means “high maintenance” over text too. When someone sends a capitalized HM over text, they’re likely talking to you about a person with demanding standards! High maintenance is someone or something that requires a lot of effort, either in terms of money or care.
- “Didn’t know a cat would be this HM! 😓”
- “Who’s the most HM person you’ve ever met?”
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“Hm” also means “thinking” in text messages. A friend or family member who texts you “Hm” is probably taking stock of their thoughts, and trying to show you that they’re considering a response.
- “Hm…I’m not sure I feel the same.”
- “Hm. This is more complicated than I thought!”

Section 3 of 7:

How to Use “HM” (“High Maintenance”)

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Talk about a person who is hard to please. When you're annoyed at someone for being too needy, demanding, or financially draining, it's totally reasonable to discuss those frustrations with another person. Message a trustworthy friend about your troubles over Snapchat, text, or another app.
- You: "Ugh, my date last night was a bust! 😫 They were so HM, it was ridiculous."
- Them: "Oh no! I'm sorry. I'm here if you need to vent about it."

Section 4 of 7:

How to Respond to “HM” (“High Maintenance”)

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Offer to lend a supportive ear. If someone sends a message where "HM" means "high maintenance," they may be looking to talk about a significant other or friend. Do your best to sympathize with them, and ask for more details if they don't explain the situation right away. For example:
- Them: "My girlfriend can be so HM sometimes."
- You: "That's gotta be frustrating. Did something happen?"
- Them: "Yeah. We were picking out a restaurant for dinner…."

Section 5 of 7:

How to Use “HM” (“I'm Thinking”)

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Let someone know you're thinking about what to say. Since "Hm" indicates thinking, you can use it as a placeholder when you haven't figured out what you want to say yet. "Hm" lets your messaging partner know that you're still going to respond—but it might take you another minute.
- Them: "What's your favorite movie theater candy?"
- You: "Hm 🤔"
- You: "Oh, I know! It's gotta be Swedish Fish."
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Show skepticism or boredom. When you disagree with someone, but you're not in the mood to debate, you can send a simple "Hm" instead. You can also send it when you're just not in the mood to talk.
- Them: "I think it'd be super fun to go skydiving!"
- You: "Hm, maybe."

Section 6 of 7:

How to Respond to “HM” (“I'm Thinking”)

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Wait for your friend to respond. If you ask a question and they reply with "Hm," you can interpret that to mean they're still thinking about a response. Give them a little while to message you back, or send a little "no rush!" message to make them feel more at ease.
- You: "Million-dollar question: are aliens real?"
- Them: "Hm…."
- You: "Take your time! It's a complex topic, lol. 👽"
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Change the subject or end the conversation. If your friend can't think of any response other than "Hm" (in the context of "I'm thinking"), it might be time to talk about something else. It's okay to reach a natural stopping point in the conversation—just bring up something new you've been wanting to share or gracefully sign off of the messaging app.
- "Oh, BTW, I've been meaning to ask you about the math homework! Got a minute?"
- "Gotta run now—talk to you later! 😊"

Section 7 of 7:

Other Forms of “HM”

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"HM" sometimes means "home" in texting slang. You can usually tell when someone is trying to say "home" if their message refers to an address, phone number, or other details about their living situation. For example:
- "Hey, can you send me your hm address? I'm sending holiday cards this year! ☃️"
- "I'll be hm soon!"
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HM can also mean "Her Majesty." This happens most often in the UK, which is a monarchy. The Queen's title and other British government departments with names beginning in "Her Majesty's" are simply typed out as HM instead.^{[3]
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- "HM King Charles III."
- "HM Queen Elizabeth II."
- "HM Armed Forces."
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"HM" can mean "help me" as well. When someone describes a stressful situation or a problem they’re having and uses “HM,” they’re asking for your help. For example:
- “Please HM, I can’t figure out this homework! 😭”
- “Someone HM, I have to clean the whole house before dad gets home!”
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"HM" can mean "hard mode," a gaming term. "Hard mode" refers to game levels designed to be highly challenging for players. Most of the time, it's used between gamers chatting about MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online roleplaying games) like World of Warcraft.^{[4]
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- "Ready for the raid tonight? We're doing HM only!"