dm

DM stands for direct message, or a private message with a person on social media, especially Twitter. For you role players, DM can also stand for the Dungeon Master in a game of Dungeons & Dragons.

How is DM pronounced?

DM for Dungeon Master emerges after the release of the roleplaying game Dungeon & Dragons in the 1970s. DMs organize and referee the game, including guiding the narrative for all the character players.

DM for direct message takes off after Twitter released the service in 2018. DMs allow two users or a group of users to send messages to each other that only they can see, whereas normal posts are public unless otherwise restricted. Often, users have to mutually follow each other to send and receive DMs. Right after the launch of the feature, DM was already being used as a verb (e.g., DM me when you can).

DM is widely used by Dungeons & Dragons players everywhere. Some players view DMs with trepidation, as they can control the game—potentially to their downfall. This has led to the expression beware the smiling DM, who might have some mischievous trick up their sleeve.

Dungeon Master: you are at your congressional bbq. a reporter approaches from the cro-
Gianforte: i punch him
DM: *smiling, shakes head* ok

— Jared Rosen (@notquitefrodo) May 25, 2017

While closely associated with Twitter, DM can be used of other private-messaging services on social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook.

Individuals may DM one another for a variety of reasons (e.g., to get contact info for an interview or resolve an issue with a company). However, DMs have a creepier reputation in popular culture. Sliding into the DMs is an expression for when a person contacts someone privately, often men seeking sexual encounters with women.

When you slide into her DM then realize she knows your gf pic.twitter.com/laIU9xUIp8

— Bl@ize (@Netoovic) December 4, 2018

Note that DM can also stand for direct mail or direct mailer, used by marketers and campaigners.

More examples of DM:

“Kevin Durant defends decision to join Warriors in DM exchange with fan”
—Phillip Barnett, USA Today (headline), September 2018

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.