What does NGL mean?
NGL means not gonna lie — a marker that what follows is candid.
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Acronym. Also written not gonna lie.
Where it comes from
Chat and forum shorthand that predates social platforms, spreading from instant messaging into general use as message length shrank and abbreviation became default.
How it is actually used
A softener rather than a claim of honesty: it usually prefaces a mild opinion the speaker suspects is unpopular. "NGL this is mid" is gentler than the same sentence without it, because the marker signals the speaker knows they are being blunt. Sits at the start of a sentence almost without exception.
Examples
- "ngl the new update is better"
- "ngl I did not expect that"
- "ngl, mid"
Can a brand use it? Safe for brands
Safe and legible across ages. It is one of the more useful abbreviations for a brand voice because it makes a direct opinion sound conversational rather than corporate.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What does NGL stand for?
Not gonna lie. It flags that the speaker is about to be candid.
When do people use NGL?
Usually before a mild or slightly unpopular opinion, as a way of softening bluntness.
Is NGL the same as TBH?
Close. TBH leans toward confession, NGL toward admitting something you might have kept quiet.
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