Word.ws English Dictionary

idk

idk is the abbreviation of I don't know.

Meaning of I don't know

Interjection

  1. Used in response to a question or command in which the target person does not know the answer to or how to respond.
    • Mr. Schidtler: Does anybody here have any idea why "Inestine" was regarded as a great scientist? Kevin?
      Kevin: Oh, uh, I don't know.1982, “You Can't Do That on Television”, in Nickelodeon, season 3, episode 11
  2. Used to indicate that one is speculating (often used sarcastically when stating the obvious).
    • Maybe you could, I don't know, directly talk to her about it instead of complaining to me for once?
  3. (UK) Used to express exasperation or incredulity about a given situation or person.
    • The audacity of that lad... I don't know.
  4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see I, don't, know.
    • I don't know why Blip just shuts off the power and then blames it on the weather.1984, Alasdair, You Can't Do That on Television, Nickelodeon, season 5, episode 24

Phrase capitalized: IDK

IDK

  1. (Internet, abbreviation, initialism) Initialism of I don't know.
    • IDK what you're talking about.
    • Pretty sure you’re wondering what Braxton Berrios has been up to since his split from Alix Earle, so here’s an update—the footballer was spotted on a date with a model, who may or may not be a literal doppelganger for Alix. But IDK, I’ll let you decide on that one.2026 April 18, Starr Bowenbank, “Um, Braxton Berrios Was Spotted on a Date With a Model Who *Kinda* Looks Like Alix Earle”, in Cosmopolitan

Questions about idk

What is idk the abbreviation of?
Idk is the abbreviation of I don't know.
What part of speech is idk?
Idk is a phrase.

Words near idk in the dictionary

  1. idiyappam
  2. idjit
  3. idjits
  4. idjut
  5. idjuts
  6. idk
  7. IDL
  8. idle
  9. idle as Ludlam's dog
  10. idle asset
  11. idle assets

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: idk (page history and authors); IDK (page history and authors); I don't know (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “idk.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/idk. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.