SOS
Someone over shoulder
SOS is a texting and chatting acronym that means "someone over shoulder." Senders use it to warn message recipients to be careful what they type since another person on their end is watching.
Teenagers are most likely to use the SOS acronym as a code to warn their friends that they are under surveillance (likely by their parents). It is a more general version of the POS acronym people use to warn that a parent is watching the conversation specifically.
People other than teenagers may use SOS when messaging. For example, if two friends are discussing gift ideas for someone reading their conversation, the person may send "SOS. TTYL!"
Example
Related Slang
Categories
Same old stuff
CensoredSOS is an acronym that stands for "same old stuff," which is another way to say that nothing new is going on in your life. It is a common reply to "What's happenin'?" when character space is tight, like when texting or online.
The acronym is typically used by people who lead monotonous lives, so if you use it often, get out and do something. Also, as an FYI, there are various definitions for the "SOS" acronym, so it may be confusing to the recipient.
Example
Can you survive our Dungeons & Dragons slang quiz?
SOS is an internationally recognized distress signal indicating an emergency across different communication platforms. It is represented in Morse code by three short signals, three long signals, and three short signals again (••• --- •••).
Introduced in 1905, the SOS distress signal was designed to be easily recognizable and distinguishable from other signals, especially in challenging conditions. It was initially used by ships in distress, but its use has since expanded to a wide range of emergency situations, including aviation problems, technical malfunctions, and even personal crises. Over the years, the term "SOS" has become a noun, often used to describe the act of sending a distress call (e.g., "I sent out an SOS").
Despite the common belief, SOS did not originally stand for "Save Our Souls" (or "Save Our Ship"). Instead, it was chosen for its simplicity and ease of transmission in Morse code. Today, SOS remains one of the most well-known and universally understood signals for emergencies, symbolizing a clear and urgent request for assistance.