What Does S/O Mean in a Relationship and How Do You Use It?

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Learn the meaning behind this inclusive term of endearment

Co-authored by Ali Garbacz, B.A. Reviewed by John Keegan

Last Updated: October 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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Meaning

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How to Use

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Alternative Terms

If you’ve ever a person refer to someone else their their “S/O,” you might’ve been confused at first. As it turns out, this is actually an abbreviation for the term “significant other.” In general, S/O usually refers to someone’s romantic partner when used in the context of a relationship, though the exact meaning can vary from person to person. Read on to find out the many meanings S/O can carry and how you can use it in messages. We’ll also look into some other terms that carry similar meanings when referring to a partner or loved one.

Things You Should Know

S/O is an abbreviation of the term “significant other,” which some people use to refer to their partner in a romantic relationship when texting. Some also write it as S.O. or SO.
Use S/O to refer to the person you’re dating, your spouse, or someone with whom your relationship status isn’t clearly defined yet.
S/O is a gender-neutral term and is inclusive of all types of relationships. Similar terms include things like “partner” or “loved one.”

Section 1 of 3:

S/O Meaning

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S/O stands for “significant other” in relationships. Instead of labeling their partner as their girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife, some people choose to use the more neutral term “significant other.” Many people then shorten this down to S/O when texting or messaging others and usually stylize it as S/O, S.O., or SO.
- Some people prefer to use the term “significant other” because of its inclusivity. It doesn’t give away anything about the other person’s gender, sexuality, or the nature of the relationship.^{[1]
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  Victorian Government
  Official website for the Australian state of Victoria
  
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- The term “significant other” was first used by Harry Stack Sullivan in his publication “The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry.”^{[2]
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- Other variations of S/O include terms like S/S/O (second/surrogate significant other) and O/S/O (other significant other) which some people in open relationships may use to refer to other partners within the relationship.

Section 2 of 3:

How to Use S/O

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Use S/O to refer to the person you’re dating. If you want to use a more neutral term to refer to the person you’re dating, use S/O instead of something like boyfriend or girlfriend. By using S/O, you keep information like the other person’s gender and name private.
- “My S/O and I met about 3 years ago.”
- “Me and my S.O. are moving to New York soon.”
- “My S/O and I have been dating for a while now.”
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Call your spouse your S/O. Rather than using gendered terms like husband or wife, using S/O to talk about the person you’re married to can help protect your privacy since it doesn’t give away the other person’s gender or name. It also doesn’t immediately give away the fact that you and the other person are married, which can be helpful if you don’t want to reveal that information right away.
- “My S/O is coming back from a business trip soon.”
- “I’ve been married to my S/O for 2 years and it’s been wonderful.”
- “My S.O. and I are thinking of going on vacation soon.”
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Use S/O when the status of your relationship is still unclear. Every person is different, and each person might have a different idea of what constitutes something like a committed relationship. Fortunately, the term S/O isn’t reserved just for people who are dating or married. Use S/O to refer to someone you’re seeing casually or someone you’re still trying to figure things out with in terms of relationship status.
- “I’m seeing my S/O today and we’re just going to hang out at the park.”
- “My S.O. and I are still trying to decide where we’re going with our relationship.”
- “My S.O. will be happy to hear you’re coming tonight!”
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Use S/O broadly to refer to people close to you. The term S/O isn’t exclusively reserved to only refer to romantic relationships. You can also use S/O to refer to friends, family, and other people who are close to you. For example, you might use S/O to refer affectionately to one of your best friends.
- “You’re my S/O. I don’t know what I’d do without you!”
- “My S/O and I will be there soon!”
- “I should tell my S.O. about what happened.”

Section 3 of 3:

Alternative Terms for S/O

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Partner Like S/O, the term partner is neutral in terms of gender. It’s also neutral in the sense that it doesn’t give away the nature of your relationship with someone else. Just from hearing the word “partner,” another person won’t be able to tell if you’re referring to someone you’re dating, married to, or just seeing casually. However, partner isn’t normally used to refer to friends or family.^{[3]
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- “My partner will be there too. They’re excited to meet you!”
- “Is it alright if I ask my partner to come?”
- “I’d love for you all to meet my partner at some point.”
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Loved one This term is something that can refer to anyone you consider close, including friends, family, or a romantic partner. It’s also gender-neutral and doesn’t reveal much about the nature of your relationship with the other person or people right away.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source

American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists

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- “I’ll let my loved ones know as soon as possible.”
- “My loved ones are probably waiting for me right now.”
- “They’re my loved one and are incredibly important to me.”