Published on
June 27, 2024
by
Hannah Skaggs
Revised on
November 11, 2025
FYI is an initialism meaning “for your information.” While “for your information” is a prepositional phrase, FYI is most often used as either an interjection or a noun.
FYI in a sentence examplesFYI, the meeting starts at 3 PM.
FYI, the restaurant we were talking about is closed on Mondays.
I sent you an FYI about the new project guidelines.
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Paige Pfeifer, BA
Revised on
November 11, 2025
AFK is an abbreviation for “away from keys” or “away from keyboard.”
Sometimes you need a quick and easy way to let someone know you have to go. When you type “AFK,” it lets whomever you’re talking to know that you’re away from your phone or computer for some length of time and probably won’t answer right away.
AFK in a sentence examplesAFK, gonna check out this beautiful sunset
Demeanor is how you present yourself to others, including your actions but also your tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. In British English, the correct spelling is “demeanour.”
As a noun, demeanor is neutral; depending on context, it has a positive or negative connotation. If someone has a friendly demeanor, for instance, it means that they smile and nod as you talk to them or that they maintain eye contact. In contrast, a person of unfriendly demeanor will probably act in a cold and disinterested way, paying little attention to what you are saying.
Demeanor in a sentence examplesDespite the crisis situation, our manager maintained their calm demeanor.
We were greeted by a small woman of cheerful demeanor.
He has a shy demeanor and blushes when he has to give a presentation.
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Paige Pfeifer, BA
Revised on
November 11, 2025
LMAO means “laughing my ass off.” It’s a slang abbreviation that shows you think something is incredibly funny.
Teens and other people have been talking about laughing their asses off for some three-quarters of a century—one of the most well-known uses of the phrase appears in Catcher in the Rye, a popular 1951 novel by J.D. Salinger (“It ends up with everybody at this long dinner table laughing their asses off because the great Dane comes in with a bunch of puppies,” Holden describes, speaking of a movie he dislikes).
Let’s look at how the phrase was abbreviated as LMAO and how you can use it.
Published on
June 24, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
November 11, 2025
To touch base means to briefly communicate with a person or a group of people such as a team of employees in order to stay in contact with them or check something.
It is an informal idiom that comes from the sport of baseball. It is often used in work and business contexts but is not generally used in formal or academic writing.
Examples: Touch base in a sentenceI’m going to touch base with Maria at the event tomorrow, so I’ll ask her about it then.
Have you got a minute to talk? I just wanted to touch base before the meeting later.
Let’s touch base about the arrangements again later in the week.
Published on
June 24, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
November 11, 2025
Genuflect is a verb meaning “to bend your knee” (e.g., as an act of worship inside a Christian church).
It is also used figuratively to mean “pleasing someone in a way that shows a lack of respect for yourself.”
Examples of genuflect in a sentenceHer mother frowned at her because she forgot to genuflect before taking her seat in church.
You’re going to have to genuflect before him if you want him to agree.
She is a genius who refuses to genuflect at the altar of convention.
Genuflect is split into three syllables with the stress on the first syllable: [jen-yoo-flekt]. The first two syllables are pronounced in the same way as in the word “genuine.”
Published on
June 19, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
November 11, 2025
The adjectivefacetious means “humorous in an inappropriate way or at an inappropriate time.” It is often used to criticize someone or something (e.g., to say that a person is treating a serious issue in an unserious way).
It is also used less critically to mean “funny and not serious.”
Examples: Facetious in a sentenceI thought that was a really facetious remark that Alberto made in the meeting.
You don’t really mean that, do you? You’re just being facetious, right?
I love to read her newspaper columns; they’re just so wonderfully facetious.
Published on
June 14, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
November 11, 2025
Indubitably means “certainly” or “without question.”
It is an adverb with the same root as the adjective “indubitable.”
“Indubitably” is not commonly used in modern English and is perceived as being very formal. In speech, it can be used as an interjection if someone is being facetious or putting on airs.
The opposite of “indubitably” is “dubitably,” which is very rarely used in modern English.
Indubitably: Examples in a sentenceIndubitably Miss Smith! The man is surely a fool.
The artist’s work is indubitably groundbreaking.
The consequences will indubitably be felt for years to come.
It is indubitably the case that many questions have been left hanging in the air.