WTF

American  

Or wtf

abbreviation

Slang.

1. what the fuck (a euphemistic initialism used to express anger, impatience, surprise, etc., without explicit vulgarity).

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wtf British  

abbreviation

1. what the fuck?: used esp in emails, text messages, etc

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Etymology

Origin of WTF

From its use in digital communications

Example Sentences

For Cumberbatch, Downey’s return is a good WTF that would keep things light on set, despite the pressure of making the multimillion-dollar movies, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2025

It's very similar to the "big family" trend on social media, where influencers with 8, 10 or a dozen kids get large amounts of traffic because of that WTF factor.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2024

Footage of cars falling from the windows of a multi-storey car park has been widely shared online, with the message: "WTF is going on in France…".

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2023

Gallagher even cut short an interview in 2011 with Marc Maron after the WTF podcast host confronted him about his statements.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 11, 2022

Marc Maron, on a recent episode of the WTF podcast, introduced her this way: “She’s an odd presence. But funny.”

From New York Times • Sep. 7, 2022