What Does "Hm" Mean? Plus, Examples of How to Use It

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Learn the various and surprising meanings of “hm”

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD

Last Updated: October 6, 2025 Fact Checked

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“Hm” Meaning

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Using “Hm”

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Responding to “Hm”

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Using “HM”

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Responding to “HM”

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Other Forms of “HM”

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If you've received a message that reads "hm" over text or social media, you might be wondering what it means. This two-letter response is also an acronym, which makes defining it a little tricky because it can mean a couple of different things. Don't worry: in this article, we'll explain each possible meaning and help you figure out which version of “hm” your friends are using. We'll also give you tips and examples for using “hm” in your own messages going forward.

“Hm” Meaning Over Text & on Social Media

If a friend or family member texts you “hm,” they’re probably taking a moment to think and consider a more complete response. For example, if you ask them for advice, they may say, “Hm, that’s a difficult situation!” "HM" is also an acronym, meaning "high maintenance," often used to describe someone as demanding.

Section 1 of 6:

“Hm” Meaning

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"Hm" is a term used when someone is thinking. Essentially, "Hm" is spelled out to represent the sound that people make when they're lost in thought: “Hmmmm.” It serves various purposes on messaging apps; you can use it to convey a thoughtful, accepting, bored, or skeptical tone. A friend or family member who texts you “hm” is probably taking stock of their thoughts and trying to show you that they’re considering a response. Here are some examples of what that might sound like:^{[1]
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- “Hm…I’m not sure I feel the same.”
- “Hm. This is more complicated than I thought!”
- "Hm, let me think about that and get back to you!"
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"HM" can stand for "high maintenance.” This acronym is popular on messaging and social media apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. "High maintenance" typically refers to someone who requires a lot of attention or has particularly extravagant tastes, although it can be broader than that.^{[2]
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Research source} When someone sends a capitalized “HM” over text, they’re likely referring to a person, situation, or thing that takes a lot of effort, either in terms of money or care.
- “Didn’t know a cat would be this HM! 😓”
- “Who’s the most HM person you’ve ever met?”
- "I admit, I can be pretty HM sometimes. 😅"
- "My whole family is so HM! It's exhausting."

Section 2 of 6:

How to Use “Hm” (“I'm Thinking”)

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Let someone know you're thinking about what to say. Since "hm" indicates thinking, you can use it as a placeholder when you haven't figured out what you want to say yet. "Hm" lets the person you’re messaging know that you're still going to respond—but it might take you another minute.
- Them: "What's your favorite movie theater candy?"
- You: "Hm 🤔"
- You: "Oh, I know! It's gotta be Swedish Fish."
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Use “hm” to show skepticism or boredom. When you disagree with someone, but you're not in the mood to debate, you can send a simple "hm" instead. You can also send it when you're just not in the mood to talk or when you don’t support what they’re saying, but have bigger fish to fry— so to speak.
- Them: "I think it'd be super fun to go skydiving!"
- You: "Hm, maybe."

Section 3 of 6:

How to Respond to “Hm”(“I'm Thinking”)

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Wait for your friend to respond. If you ask a question and they reply with "Hm," you can interpret that to mean they're still thinking about a response. Give them a little while to message you back, or send a little "no rush!" message to make them feel more at ease.^{[3]
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- You: "Million-dollar question: are aliens real?"
- Them: "Hm…."
- You: "Take your time! It's a complex topic, lol. 👽"
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Change the subject or end the conversation. If your friend can't think of any response other than "Hm" (in the context of "I'm thinking"), it might be time to talk about something else. It's okay to reach a natural stopping point in the conversation—just bring up something new you've been wanting to share or gracefully sign off of the messaging app. Here are some ways to do this:
- "Oh, BTW, I've been meaning to ask you about the math homework! Got a minute?"
- "Gotta run now—talk to you later! 😊"
- “Also, I’m having a little get-together on Friday and I wanted to invite you.”
- “See you in class! TTYL.”

Section 4 of 6:

How to Use “HM”(“High Maintenance”)

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Describe a person who is hard to please. When you're annoyed at someone for being too needy, demanding, or financially draining, it's totally reasonable to discuss those frustrations with another person. Message a trustworthy friend about your troubles over Snapchat, text, or another app.^{[4]
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- You: "Ugh, my date last night was a bust! 😫 They were so HM, it was ridiculous."
- Them: "Oh no! I'm sorry. I'm here if you need to vent about it."

Section 5 of 6:

How to Respond to “HM”(“High Maintenance”)

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Offer to lend a supportive ear. If someone sends a message where "HM" means "high maintenance," they may be looking to talk about a significant other or friend. Do your best to sympathize with them and ask for more details if they don't explain the situation right away. For example:
- Them: "My girlfriend can be so HM sometimes."
- You: "That's gotta be frustrating. Did something happen?"
- Them: "Yeah. We were picking out a restaurant for dinner…."

Section 6 of 6:

Other Forms of “HM”

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"HM" can be used as shorthand for "home" in texting slang. You can usually tell when someone is trying to say "home" if their message refers to an address, phone number, or other details about their living situation. For example:
- "Hey, can you send me your hm address? I'm sending holiday cards this year! ☃️"
- "I'll be hm soon!"
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“HM” can also mean "Her Majesty." This happens most often in the UK, which is a monarchy. The Queen's title and other British government departments with names beginning in "Her Majesty's" are simply typed out as HM instead.^{[5]
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- "HM King Charles III."
- "HM Queen Elizabeth II."
- "HM Armed Forces."
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"HM" can mean "help me." When someone describes a stressful situation or a problem they’re having and uses “HM,” they’re asking for your help. This acronym is most likely to come from a friend, coworker, or classmate. Here are some examples:
- “Please HM, I can’t figure out this homework! 😭”
- “Someone HM, I have to clean the whole house before dad gets home!”
- “I didn’t understand the instructions. Can you HM?”
- “I’m trying to bake cookies for the bake sale, and I’m stressing. Can you HM?”
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"HM" is short for "hard mode," a gaming term. "Hard mode" refers to game levels designed to be highly challenging for players. Most of the time, it's used between gamers chatting about MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) like World of Warcraft. Here are some ideas as to how to use it:^{[6]
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- "Ready for the raid tonight? We're doing HM only!"
- “Dang, I haven’t scored a win all night, I’m playing HM.”
- “Things aren’t great RN. Life is on HM.”
- “Wordle was on HM last night, we got it in 6!”
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“HM” can be texting slang for asking, “How much?” Usually reserved for friends messaging each other back and forth via text, using “hm” in this way is short for, “How much?” Whether you and your buddies are planning to buy a mutual friend a birthday gift and are asking everyone to pitch in, or you owe someone for your half of brunch, texting them “hm?” can convey that you’re ready to pay up— you just need to know the amount. Here are some relevant examples:^{[7]
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- “Let me know hm and I’ll Venmo you.”
- “Hm was lunch?”
- “I love your new sneakers, hm were they?”
- “I’m down to come, but hm is it?”