TL;DR

TL;DR (or tl;dr, TLDR) stands for “too long; didn’t read.” It is an initialism commonly used in digital communication to indicate either a brief summary of a longer text or to express that a piece of content was ignored because it was excessively lengthy.

Main Uses:

• Summary: Authors often add a TL;DR section at the beginning or end of a long post, article, or email to provide readers with a quick, digestible summary of the main points. For example, after a detailed explanation, someone might write: TL;DR: Here’s the main takeaway in one sentence.
• Critique or Dismissal: Readers may use TL;DR in comments or replies to signal that they found the content too long or convoluted to read in full, sometimes as a subtle critique or even sarcasm.

Context and Tone:

• The tone of TL;DR can vary. In casual settings, it’s usually seen as helpful or humorous. In professional or formal contexts, using TL;DR as a critique can come off as dismissive or rude, so it’s best used thoughtfully.
• The initialism is pronounced by saying each letter: “T-L-D-R”.

Origin:

• TL;DR emerged in the early 2000s on online forums and was officially recognized by dictionaries in the 2010s, reflecting its widespread adoption in internet culture.

Related Terms:

• TL;DR is similar to “summary,” “abstract,” or “executive summary,” but is more informal and specific to online communication.

Examples:

• At the end of a long Reddit post: TL;DR: I thought I saw a ghost, but it was just the cat.
• In a work email: TL;DR: The project deadline is next Friday.

In summary, TL;DR is a digital shorthand for summarizing lengthy content or signaling that something was too long to read, and its effectiveness depends on context and tone.