sms

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "sms" is correct and usable in written English.
It stands for "short message service" and is usually used when referring to text messages sent through mobile phones. For example: I sent my friend an SMS asking her to meet up for lunch.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

One well-known example of poor-country innovation is M-PESA, a mobile money-transfer system that started in Kenya and is catching on in Asia.More recently an Indian entrepreneur created Hike, a mobile-messaging app like WhatsApp and Viber, which lets smartphone users send messages using data connections, bypassing sms charges.

The Economist

Fortuitously Jan Koum, of WhatsApp, the messaging service for which Facebook is paying $19 billion was also at MWC. Messaging apps have gutted operators of the revenue they once enjoyed from SMS messaging: rather than pay for an SMS, users spend a bit of their data allowances instead.

The Economist

Those weren't lazily phoned in or sent via SMS, either; you had to write out your selections (the 0055 number came later) and post them.

The Guardian - Sport

This will require you to type in a code (usually sent to your phone via SMS) when you try to log in to your account from a new location.

The Guardian - Tech

Now Arnold wants to go further: "How do we incorporate SMS and Skype to genuinely change behaviour?

The Guardian

From free instant messaging services that removed the relatively high cost of sending an SMS to the development of local applications to solve local problems, the internet and its access platforms are at the heart of emerging businesses.

The Guardian

Each animal is registered with the service, which then sends SMS reminders to the farmer about milking schedules, immunisation dates and tips about nutrition and breeding or information about local vets or artificial insemination providers.

The Guardian

At the lower end of the scale, researchers at Oxford and elsewhere have shown that SMS and voice-calls can be used to assess mental health status, deliver talking therapies (eg cognitive behavioural therapy) and stimulate behavioural change.

The Guardian

Deloitte's report also raised the question of how text message entrants were "factored in" to the competition, given the researchers' approach to selecting winners, noting that one SMS entrant won on one of the seven occasions.

The Guardian

Mobile devices can link health workers with ministries: In Malawi, Rwanda and elsewhere, use of mobile platforms such as SMS messaging has greatly improved communication between community health workers and their health ministries.

The Guardian

In 2008 Tata Motors switched the site for the plant to make the Nano, a small car, from West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat after Ratan Tata, boss of the conglomerate parent, received an SMS message from Mr Modi offering him a factory-ready plot for the firm and its suppliers.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use lowercase "sms" as it is the established norm.

Common error

Ensure you use lowercase for "sms" unless it begins a sentence. Using uppercase (SMS) is an older convention and less common now.

Linguistic Context

The term "sms" functions primarily as an initialism, standing for Short Message Service. It is used as a noun and sometimes as a verb (to "sms" someone). According to Ludwig, this term is considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sms" is a widely recognized initialism for Short Message Service, referring to text messages sent via mobile phones. As stated by Ludwig, it's a correct and usable term in written English. Its usage spans various contexts, from news and media to business and technical discussions. While predominantly neutral in register, it leans slightly towards informal due to its common usage in everyday communication. When writing, ensure to use lowercase "sms" unless starting a sentence and consider "text message" or "texting" as alternatives, if the full initialism it's not needed. There are many examples from authoritative sources such as The Economist and The Guardian showcasing its broad applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

text message

Replaces the initialism with the full term.

short message service

Provides the full form of the acronym.

texting

Focuses on the action of sending an SMS.

mobile message

Generalizes to any message sent via mobile device.

digital message

Broadens the scope to any digital message.

instant message

Implies a real-time messaging service.

cellular message

Specifies that the message is sent over a cellular network.

mobile notification

Suggests a broader range of alerts, not just text.

electronic message

Refers to any message sent electronically.

digital communication

Encompasses all forms of digital communication.

FAQs

What does "sms" stand for?

"Sms" stands for Short Message Service, a technology that allows sending text messages via mobile phones.

What's the difference between "sms" and "instant message"?

"Sms" refers specifically to text messages sent through the Short Message Service, while an "instant message" is a broader term for real-time text-based communication over the internet.

How can I use "sms" in a sentence?

You can say, "I sent an "sms" to confirm the meeting time" or "The app uses "sms" for two-factor authentication".

What are some alternatives to "sms"?

Alternatives include "text message", "texting", or "mobile message", depending on the context.