WYLL is a popular acronym that’s short for “What you look like.” It is often used in online communication, especially when someone is meeting new people and asks for a selfie to see what they look like.
Most often, people use WYLL when texting, on TikTok, Snapchat, and other social media and chatting platforms where they can’t see other people’s selfies or haven’t met in person.
On dating platforms, boys often use it to ask girls for photos in a curious or flirty way.
Let’s see WYLL’s origin, its different meanings, how to use it, and how to respond when someone says it to you.
WYLL Origin
The origins of WYLL are closely connected to social media and texting platforms. With the rise of these platforms, people started meeting so many strangers online.
Still, no matter how much technologies change the way we meet other people, we are still curious to meet them in a more traditional way – by seeing what they look like.
Of course, even before online communication, people used to meet through newspaper ads and similar channels. They would communicate with each other by sending letters. Even then, they would exchange photographs in order to get to know each other a bit better.
So, even though the acronym WYLL was invented when online communication became popular, it has much older origins. Knowing someone’s face was always important for people, and it remains so even today.
How to Use WYLL?
Now, you probably wonder how you should use WYLL in a sentence. Obviously, you would use it when chatting with someone online, given that they have no profile picture where you can see what they look like. For example:
- “Can you take a selfie and send it to me? I wanna know WYLL”
- “I still don’t know WYLL, so I don’t feel comfortable talking to you anymore.”
- “Hey, before we meet, I would like to see WYLL.”
You can also use WYLL even when you know how someone looks. In this context, you are using it more jokingly and teasingly as a meme. As such, you can use it when talking to friends, classmates, and siblings. Take a look at these examples:
- “Haha, this is WYLL when you eat all of the snacks.”
- “This cat is WYLL when we have a math test.”
How to Respond When Someone Says WYLL to You?
When someone texts you the acronym “WYLL,” which stands for “What You Look Like?” it’s often a casual inquiry about your physical appearance, a question about your personality, your reasons behind your actions, or in a joking way.
There can be several ways to reply, depending on the context and your relationship with the person.
Here are three possible scenarios of WYLL being used and how you could respond:
1. When WYLL is About Appearance
If a new online friend texts you WYL to ask about your appearance, you can choose to respond with a photo or a brief video. It shows he or she is interested in your physical appearance, often in a casual or flirtatious context.
However, if you’re not comfortable sharing images, or if the situation doesn’t call for it, you can also use words to convey a description of yourself.
- New Friend: “I can’t believe we’ve been chatting for months and I still haven’t seen you. WYLL?”
- You: “I’ve got curly brown hair, a big smile, and today I’m wearing my favorite band t-shirt. How about you?”
2. When WYLL is Used In a Joking and Teasing Manner
When someone jokes with you by asking WYLL, it’s your chance to be funny or join in the fun. You don’t have to answer seriously. It’s like an invite to say something clever or make a joke back.
- Friend: “LOL, this is WYLL when you saw your ex last night.”
- You: “Haha, I just pulled my hat down over my eyes and zipped my jacket up. Invisible mode, you know?”
3. When WYLL is a Curiosity About Personality
WYLL can also be used in response to your actions or choices that others find surprising or hard to understand.
In such cases, it’s more about explaining your character or personality traits rather than your physical appearance.
- New Friend: “We got along so well at the party, but I’m curious, WYLL as a person?”
- You: “I’m pretty easy-going, love a good laugh, and I’m passionate about environmental causes. Always up for an adventure too! How about yourself?”
4. When WYLL is About Understanding Your Actions
Sometimes, people use “WYLL” to understand the reasons behind your actions, especially when those actions seem unconventional to them. In such situations, offering a simple explanation can help them know your actions.
- Colleague: “You volunteered to work over the weekend again? WYLL?”
- You: “I know it might seem strange, but I really want to get ahead on this project. Plus, I enjoy the quiet of the office on weekends.”
WYLL Alternatives and Variations
If you want to see what someone looks like but you don’t want to use WYLL, you can use some other phrases instead. Here are some examples:
- Got a pic?
- Pic?
- Snap?
- ASLP (age, sex, location, picture)
- P4P (pic for pic)
You can also simply ask the person for their TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook account. Chances are, if they use any of these social media platforms, they will have posted selfies there, so you can easily see what they look like without asking explicitly.
