What Does the Slang Term “FAFO” Mean? (Plus How to Use It)

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Learn more about this provocative social media term

Co-authored by Mason Martinez, BA

Last Updated: March 18, 2024 Fact Checked

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Meaning

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Usage

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Origin & Spread

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Related Slang Terms

Have you ever encountered a meme or a fail video and seen “FAFO!” written in the comments? “FAFO” is an informal way of expressing a warning or response to something ill-advised. In this guide, we’ll teach you what the acronym means and how it’s gained traction on popular social media platforms.

“FAFO” Meaning

The acronym “FAFO” stands for “F**k Around and Find Out.” It’s an informal way of warning someone not to mess with you or something bad will happen. It’s the equivalent of saying, “If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.”

Section 1 of 4:

What does “FAFO” mean?

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“FAFO” is short-hand for “F**k Around and Find Out.” People on social media use FAFO to warn others not to mess with them. It's also used as a response to videos or situations where someone does something careless and then suffers the consequences.^{[1]
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- The phrase is the equivalent of the age-old saying, “If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.”

Section 2 of 4:

How to Use “FAFO” on Social Media

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Use “FAFO” as a warning sign. Has someone ever tried to get you heated? Or, in other words, tried to push your buttons? A direct way to tell someone not to mess with you is by saying, “F**k Around and Find Out.” It warns the other person that you'll react if they continue to “test” you.^{[2]
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- “I already told you to leave me alone. Keep this up, you’re gonna FAFO!”
- “I totally forgot to study for the test this afternoon. Guess I’m gonna FAFO!”
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Write “FAFO” on a caption for a TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram reel. The term is often seen on popular social media sites to respond to someone else’s behavior.^{[3]
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Research source} For instance, have you ever seen someone wind up in a situation you know won't end well? Imagine a body-builder type of guy messes with a petite guy at a bar, and suddenly, it’s the smaller guy who takes him down—that’s the perfect scenario to use, “FAFO!”
- The phrase can be used in nearly any scenario to respond to someone else’s bizarre or disrespectful behavior.

Section 3 of 4:

Origin & Spread of FAFO

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Originally, FAFO was commonly used in the African American community in its full form rather than as an acronym.^{[4]
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Research source} However, the phrase died out in the mid-2000s before finding its resurrection in 2022.
After a series of controversial tweets by Kanye West regarding his relationship with Elon Musk, the CEO of X, posted a simple, “FAFO” tweet after suspending the rapper’s account. Users quickly scrambled to understand the phrase—and the drama between the two.^{[5]
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A TikTok user, Roger Skaer, posted a short TikTok demonstrating how much someone has to “f**k around” to “find out” on a mathematical chart. In just two days, the video gained 3.9 million views.^{[6]
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The term grew in popularity to express frustration towards politics. Before the 2020 presidential election between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, online leftists and sympathizers of the Democratic party took to social media platforms like Reddit, X (Twitter), and TikTok to create memes about the political landscape at the time.^{[7]
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- A common example was using “FAFO’” to refer to Michael Bloomberg’s run as the Democrat candidate, who eventually pulled out in favor of Joe Biden.^{[8]
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The Proud Boys are a far-right political organization created in 2016. They’re known for promoting white nationalism, misogyny, and other hateful beliefs.^{[9]
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Research source} Unfortunately, “FAFO” has been adopted by them in an attempt to appear tough and threatening.^{[10]
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Section 4 of 4:

Related Slang Terms

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YOLO You may have heard this phrase used in rapper Drake’s song “The Motto” in 2011. The phrase is an abbreviation for “You Only Live Once,” representing that you should do exciting things, even if it feels dangerous.^{[11]
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- Where FAFO serves as a warning, YOLO is meant more to encourage potentially reckless behavior for the thrill of it.
- “I really want to buy this $300 purse, but I don’t get paid ‘til next week….YOLO!”
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LFG “Let’s Freaking Go” or “Let’s F**king Go” is often used on social media, video games, or in sports contexts as a hype phrase. It encourages others to do something they may be hesitant or wary about.^{[12]
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- Them: “Are you ready for the party tonight?”
- You: “LFG!!!”
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BMT “BMT” is an acronym for “Biting My Tongue,” which is used when someone wants to say something but they really shouldn’t. Use it to withhold information or to avoid saying something that may be offensive.^{[13]
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- Them: “Do you know why your sister came home so late last night?”
- You: “BMT!”