Is your sentence too heavy and difficult to understand? Someone might tell you to try putting it in “IOW”. This abbreviation means how to use your language to make it easier.
In other words
IOW is short for “in other words”. Literally, it means to express something in a different way. An example of this would be, “My serotonin levels have risen significantly. IOW, I’m happy with that.”
IOW is usually used to describe something to you in more straightforward terms to make sure everyone understands it. For example, if you are a computer technician who is explaining a bad PC to someone, you might say, “Your computer’s boot drive failed, and all your files were corrupted.” It is completely broken.
IOC can also be used when you are trying to express an idea in a different way that can provide a different perspective. For example, you might say, “I think rental prices are very cheap right now. IO, we should stop buying a house. I used to present.
You can use abbreviations in both upper case IOW and lower case iow. People rarely speak it out loud. Instead, he says the whole sentence “in other words” when introducing his refreshed statements.
History of IOW
The phrase “in other words” has long been used in both literary works and speech. One of the most popular musical standards to date, “Fly Me to Moon”, uses “in other words” several times in his lyrics.
The earliest version dates back to at least 2004, when the first entry was made in the Urban Dictionary. However, it is possible that it was closer than before. Chat room and message board users invented many short Internet languages in the 1990’s to speed up communication.
The IOW gained widespread use in the 2010s, mainly because of the presence of online venues for discussions on various topics, such as Reddit. In these communities, explaining topics that are unfamiliar to beginners is quite common. IOW is a helpful tool that is essential to introducing complex processes to new users so that they do not exclude expert users, as you will still maintain more complex explanations.
Make things easier
What kind of content do people usually try to simplify? A common situation is when you are an expert on the subject of something, but you need to explain it to a wide audience. This is common in tech space. For many, talking about processing power and computing units can be complicated – so a website that explains tech concepts to everyone is putting “IOW” on tech jargon.
The second thing is when you are trying to make an argument or provide your point of view. “IOW” becomes synonymous with “at the end”. Since you have presented so many points and pieces of evidence, you want to end your argument with a simple and straightforward explanation. Having an IOW moment can do anything you just said.
Finally, IOW is useful when you’re trying to simplify a vague idea you’ve just shared. If you feel dizzy and do not understand what you are saying, you can use IOW to clarify your thoughts.
How to use IOW
To use IOW, change the acronym when you would otherwise say “in other words”. Use it when you’re trying to simplify a more complex piece of information so you can share it with others. You can also use it to mark the point you are making or to provide another point of view on a situation.
Here are some ways you can use IOW in your posts and messages.
- “I bought pre-packaged dihydrogen monoxide. IOW, I bought some bottled water.
- “There was no hard evidence that he did that. IOW, I think he’s innocent.
- There are no words to describe how frustrated I am with your actions. IOW, I’m angry with you. “
Want to find more common words on the Internet? Check out our pieces on TMI, DW, and GTG.
Related: What does “DW” mean, and how do you use it?