Social media is ruling the world of the Internet at present, and it is an integral driving force that is currently shaping everyone’s life, both from an entertainment point of view as well as from a professional front. The uses and benefits that social media has to offer are as diverse as it can get. People are building entire careers based on social media and are tapping into the abundant resources and utilities that are available today, thanks to the advent of technology and globalization.
Along with the boom of social media, several other factors have also emerged along with it. One principal constituent of social media is texting and chatting with one’s loved ones. It helps us to stay in touch with everyone we wish to. However, no one likes the tedious process of typing in a very extensive, formal language while texting. Hence, everyone prefers to use shortened forms of words, including abbreviations. It helps the user to significantly cut down the time taken in typing. Plenty of shortened forms of words and abbreviations are in vogue now. Some of them often do not even represent the actual word! However, being aware of all these terms and their usage has become mandatory now to stay relevant.
One such term that has been making rounds recently is Sus. Now, let us learn what does Sus mean in text slang.
What Does Sus Mean In Text Slang?
The term Sus is currently in use across multiple social media platforms. The basic definition of the abbreviation Sus indicates being ‘suspicious’ of something or labelling someone/something like a ‘suspect.’ This primarily indicates being wary of someone and refusing to trust them completely. The factor of doubt is present in the equation we share with them. However, we must be mindful of the fact that the origin of Sus could be slightly disputed due to various reasons. As a result, it is essential to learn about this fact as well, along with knowing what does SUS stands for in texting.
Contents
- What Does Sus Mean In Text Slang?
- Origin And History
- Usage In Texting
- Usage In TikTok
- Usage In Snapchat
- Usage In Instagram
- Usage In GIF
- Usage In Among Us
Origin And History
The actual origin of the term Sus dates back to the 1930s. Surprising, isn’t it? It was first used by policemen and other officials involved in law and order in the region of Wales and England. Unlike the present times, the police did not use this term to call someone suspicious or label them as suspects. They would use this term to imply the discovery or collection of important information and evidence. For example, English cops would use phrases like “sussed some details out” or “sussing out a felon.” Currently, the term is in common use, indicating the action of letting out a secret.
Another piece of history associated with this term involves an oppressive and fascist practice employed by the British police in the 1820s. This led to the particular nickname gaining prominence around the 1900s. The law was dictatorial and tyrannical, granting the British law and order officials absolute power and control to detain any citizen they considered suspicious and offensive. The Vagrancy Act of 1824 conceded the British police force to arrest anyone who seemed to be susceptible to committing crimes in the future.
This practice was considered to be of practically no use as there was no relevant change in England’s crime rate due to the administration of this law. It led to further persecution of the marginally oppressed groups living in England, particularly the blacks and browns. This law created a lot of unrest and played a massive role in the 1981 Brixton Riot of London.
Currently, the term does not hold any controversial perspective attached to it. It is used in mostly harmless and fun contexts, the most popular platform is the game that shot to stardom recently, Among Us. Now let us look at the usage of the term ‘Sus’ throughout multiple platforms and understand what does Sus mean in text slang.
1. Usage In Texting
The term ‘Sus’ is now a part of our everyday conversation. As a result, it is important that we understand what does SUS stand for in texting. Mainly, this abbreviation is used to represent either one of the two words, suspicious or suspect. It is always used in an interchangeable manner and does not mean both the definitions at once in any context.
This term rose to prominence mainly through TikTok and Snapchat, two of the most widely used social media applications at present. However, people have begun using this term in texting a lot recently., and hence it is used a lot in Whatsapp, Instagram, and multiple other platforms also. It generally indicates that someone or something seems sketchy and cannot be trusted easily. To understand what does Sus mean in text slang, let us try to simplify the meaning by looking at some examples.
Person 1: Rachel cancelled the dinner plan at the last minute.
Person 2: Well, that’s really unlikely of her. Kinda sus, I must say!
Person 1: Gordon cheated on Veronica, apparently!
Person 2: I always thought he was acting sus.
2. Usage In TikTok
TikTok users always make several references to shortened terms and other abbreviations regularly. The constant influx of new trends keeps increasing the definitions and slang terms that are in use here. In TikTok, the term Sus is used to refer to someone who behaves in an unusual or weird way that is considered to be away from ordinary.
It also indicates a certain sense of disagreement between the people who are involved. When their preferences and your preferences clash, you could claim that they are acting ‘Sus’. A person might also get labelled as sus if they are at the wrong place at the wrong time, leading them to get blamed for something they did not commit.
3. Usage In Snapchat
While understanding what does SUS stand for in texting, another predominant domain in which we have to concentrate is Snapchat. It is a social media application that is used by millennials widely. One of its most used features is the ‘Snap’ option. The term sus can be used to reply to your friend’s snaps, or you can even add it to your own snap.
Snapchat also contains stickers that incorporate this slang term, and the user can add it to their snaps.
First, open Snapchat and choose a picture or select one from your gallery which you would like to upload.
Next, press the sticker button, which is present on the right side of the screen.
Now, type ‘Sus’ in the search bar. You will view many relevant stickers that are based on the theme of being a suspect or suspicious.
Also Read: How to Do a Poll on Snapchat?
4. Usage In Instagram
Instagram is yet another popular social media application. Chatting and texting on Instagram is primarily done using the Direct Message (DM) feature. Here, you can use the term ‘Sus’ to search for stickers while texting your friends.
First, open Instagram and click on the Direct Messaging icon.
Now open a chat and press on the Sticker option at the bottom of the screen.
In the Search panel, when you type ‘Sus’, you will view a lot of stickers that are related to the term.
5. Usage In GIF
GIFs are a fun social media tool that can be used while texting to express the emotion you wish to convey. These are stickers that can be used across multiple social media platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc. Since we are trying to understand what does Sus mean in text slang, it is necessary to look at this aspect also. Also read What is mhm in Texting?. Also read What is mhm in Texting?.
The user can use GIFs directly from their personal keyboard. This way, you can use it across all platforms conveniently. Now let us see how we can use this option.
Open any messaging platform. We are demonstrating it using WhatsApp now. Go to the chat in which you would like to use GIFs.
Click on the ‘GIF’ icon that is located in the bottom panel.
Here, type ‘Sus’ in the search box to view the list of relevant GIFs.
6. Usage In Among Us
After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its complete upheaval of 2020, all Internet users were at their wit’s end and driven to the edge of boredom. During this period, a spaceship-themed multiplayer game called Among Us rose to prominence. The simplicity and unpretentiousness of the game made it an instant hit amongst players throughout the world. Several Twitch streamers and YouTube personalities live-streamed the game, adding to its popularity.
Now, how does our question of what does SUS stand for in texting relate to this game? This game is actually the source from which this term became well-known and widely used amongst social media users and gamers. To understand this in-depth, we need to look at the nuances of the game.
The spaceship-themed game revolves around crewmates and impostors. Random gamers are selected to be impostors at different turns. The game’s goal is to discover the identity of the impostor and eject them from the spaceship before they sabotage the spaceship and kill the crewmates. If the latter happens, the victory will belong to the impostor(s).
The players can chat amongst themselves to discuss the identity of the impostor. This is where the term ‘Sus’ comes into play. While chatting, players refer to someone as ‘Sus’ if they feel that the particular person is the impostor. For example,
Player 1: I think I saw orange venting at electrical
Player 2: That is really sus man!
Player 1: Cyan seems kinda sus to me.
Player 2: I saw them at the scan; they aren’t the impostor.
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We have come to the end of the compilation of the list in which we discussed what does Sus mean in text slang. Since it is a very important and famous term that is used in social media at present, it is necessary to stay aware of its usage and relevance.
