Meaning
What does TFW mean?
TFW is the widely spread and used abbreviation for “That Feeling When”. The phrase is often associated with the tfw no gf meme.
Feels guy is almost always around the acronym. It is mostly used in online discussions, forums and memes, to express one’s feeling in a relatable situation.
Origin
What's the origin of TFW?
The origins of TFW might lie with the genesis of another meme, “mfw” or “my face when”.
The situations in which the two memes could be used are identical and TFW could easily stand for the abbreviation of “That Face When” though the mfw meme mostly depicts repulsion, TFW is more used for the expression of loneliness, depression or disillusion.
Spread & Usage
How did TFW spread?
With the spread of rage comics, Feels guy got more and more associated with mfw, to the point when around 2011, the two separate phenomena merged together.
Today we can find several gifs and pictures, with Feels guy staring at us blankly and the TFW text floating sadly above his empty eyes.
External resources
- How To Geek – What Does “TFW” Mean, and How Do You Use It?
- Lifewire – What Does TFW Mean?