TL;DR is the courteous summary tag for long-form posts on Reddit, X threads, blog comments and Slack messages. It gives readers the headline in one line so they can decide whether to read the rest.
Two formats: a writer-led summary at the start (“TL;DR: the menu changed, here’s the new one”) or a polite request from a reader (“tl;dr?” when they want someone else to summarise).
Often written without the semicolon as “TLDR” or “tldr”.
Examples
How TL;DR reads in the wild.
- “TL;DR: skip the cardio, go straight for compound lifts”
- “tldr the chef changed and the menu is better than ever”
Where you’ll see it
Common questions
What does TL;DR mean?
TL;DR stands for "Too Long; Didn't Read". Short for “too long; didn’t read” — a one-line summary at the top or bottom of a long post.
How is TL;DR used?
TL;DR is the courteous summary tag for long-form posts on Reddit, X threads, blog comments and Slack messages. It gives readers the headline in one line so they can decide whether to read the rest. Two formats: a writer-led summary at the start (“TL;DR: the menu changed, here’s the new one”) or a polite request from a reader (“tl;dr?” when they want someone else to summarise). Often written without the semicolon as “TLDR” or “tldr”.
Where will I see TL;DR?
TL;DR is commonly used on Reddit, X, Hacker News, Slack.