read receipts
/rɛd rɪˈsiːts/
Very CommonThe notification that tells you a message has been seen, turning silence after that into a deliberate choice.
The feature that made ignoring someone socially complicated. With read receipts on, not responding is a visible decision. With them off, you have plausible deniability. People toggle them strategically for exactly this reason.
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | i turned off read receipts because i can't deal with the pressure to respond immediately | Disabling the feature removes the social obligation created by visible reads. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 02 | read receipts are either the most honest feature ever or the cruelest depending on who's using them | The same feature creates accountability for one person and visible rejection for another. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | the read receipt at 11pm and then nothing until 2pm the next day. i need answers. | The visibility of when a message was read makes the 15-hour silence feel intentional. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | keeping read receipts on is a power move. it says i saw your message and i'll respond when i feel like it | Having read receipts visible to others signals confidence and selective attention. | tiktok, 2023 |
Use it when
- Someone sees a message was read but received no reply.
- Discussing whether to keep read receipts on or off.
- Describing the social pressure that comes from visibility of message reads.
Do not use it when
- The message was delivered but you don't know if it was opened.Use “delivered-not-read” instead.
Variations and related forms
Read receipts vs delivered not read
read receipts
A read receipt confirms the message was opened and seen.
delivered-not-read
Delivered not read means the message arrived on the device but was not opened.
Origin and context
Read receipts became common with iMessage's launch in 2011 and spread across messaging apps including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat through the 2010s. The feature fundamentally changed communication norms by making message visibility explicit.
- First seen
- 2011
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/read-receipts