Jump to:

• dm
  dm

  noun

  a direct message sent to one or more users of a social media service or private messaging service, usually when the accounts involved have an established relationship, as when the recipient is linked to, friends with, or following the sender on a social media platform.
• DM
  DM

  abbreviation

  Deutsche mark.
• Dm.
  Dm.

  abbreviation

  Deutsche mark.

dm

¹ American  

Or DM

noun

dms, plural dm's plural

1. a direct message sent to one or more users of a social media service or private messaging service, usually when the accounts involved have an established relationship, as when the recipient is linked to, friends with, or following the sender on a social media platform.

   He sent me a scary and abusive dm, so I reported the message and blocked his account.

---

verb (used with object)

dm'd, dmed, dm'ing, dming

1. to send a direct message to (another user of such a service).

dm ² American  

abbreviation

1. decimeter; decimeters.

---

DM ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Deutsche mark.

2. direct mail.

3. Dungeon Master.

---

Dm. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Deutsche mark.

---

DM ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. (in Canada) deputy minister

2. (the former) Deutschmark

---

dm ² British  

symbol

1. decimetre

---

dm ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Dominica

---

Usage

What else does DM mean? 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?[dee-em]

Etymology

Origin of dm

First recorded in 2005–10; d(irect) ( def. ) m(essage) ( def. )

Example Sentences

"The insurgency started because of tribal exploitation -- by landlords, government agencies, forest officials and police," said Chhattisgarh's former police chief, DM Awasthi.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Please, if any of you have seen or know of any information can you DM me or contact the police.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

Or they were answering some non-crucial Instagram DM.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

I can DM and talk to my fans and ask them for their feedback, what products they want, what scents are their favorite, all these things.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

It was a dumb idea to send her a DM.

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya