Memes dictionary

number neighbor

[nuhm-ber ney-ber]

What does number neighbor mean?

A number neighbor is someone who has the same (cell) phone number as you, except the last digit is one lower or higher. Sharing funny or charming text-message exchanges with one’s number neighbor went viral online in August 2019.

Related words

the girl next door, We Are Number One, 867-5309, trashtag, #AccidentalMusic, text me, best friend

Where does number neighbor come from?

Screenshot of @dirtyjauregui / Twitter

Say your (cell) phone number is 123-456-6788. Your number neighbor, typically, would have a number ending -6787 or -6789.  Number, of course, refers to phone number (usually of a cell phone), and neighbor, the idea that the two numbers are next to each, like neighbors. 

An earlier version of number neighbor was text door neighbor (a pun on next-door neighbor), entered on Urban Dictionary in 2008. Sharing posts of text-message exchanges on social media got some attention in 2016.

The term number neighbor was entered on Urban Dictionary in 2009, but the trend of texting one’s number neighbor and sharing screenshots of the results went viral in early late July, early August 2019.

This happened after Twitter user @ryanlavalleee texted his number neighbor and posted the aftermath (the “neighbor” wasn’t too keen on getting to know the tweeter). 

Still, @ryanlavalleee’s tweet went viral—and started a trend.

Examples of number neighbor

My number neighbor didn’t reply but neither do my friends so can’t say I’m not used to this type of behavior!!!
@savtwopointoh, August 2019
Apparently I texted my number neighbor my selfie before...a year ago with no explanation 😂😂😂😂😂
@boobsandpizza, August 2019
Screenshot of @pattykrabbys / Instagram
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Who uses number neighbor?

Number neighbor is mainly used in the context of the trend of texting one’s number neighbor and sharing the results online. The activity is generally meant to be fun.

Some of the results have been very positive, friendly, and wholesome experiences.

Other times, the number neighbor conversation has been negative, prompting confusion, irritation, and creepy advances.

As is common with internet trends, number neighbor inspired many write-ups in popular media—and inspired a lot of humor online, with people making various relationship and friendship jokes, especially about anxiously awaiting validation by getting a text from their number neighbor.

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Note

This is not meant to be a formal definition of number neighbor like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of number neighbor that will help our users expand their word mastery.

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