What does “YMMV” Mean?

YMMV stands for “your mileage may (or might) vary.” This acronym is frequently used to refer to the differences between people’s experiences, preferences, or locations. It’s similar to AFAIK: “as far as I know.”

It’s also a fairly common phrase in real-world conversations. The literal version, which refers to the actual gas mileage a vehicle gets, is a helpful disclaimer. Even if two people drive the same car, they might get different gas efficiencies based on their driving habits.

Unlike other initialisms, which were invented and grown on the internet, “your mileage may vary” goes back to the 1970s and ’80s in the U.S. During that time, automobile manufacturers frequently promoted their estimated mileages to compete.

This phrase continued to be used in general conversation, and eventually became a common American idiom. It likely became an initialism in the ’90s or ’00s, when people started shortening language on internet platforms, like internet relay chat (IRC) and instant messengers (IM).

If you’re writing a review of a mobile phone, for example, you might say, “the battery life generally lasted the whole day, but YMMV.” This implies battery life will depend on your usage habits. If the screen and mobile data are frequently on, the battery will probably deplete much faster.