Best “What’s Up” Responses (Meaning & Alternatives)

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There are many different ways to respond when someone asks, “What’s up?”

Some people might want to keep things simple and just say, “Nothing much.” Others might want to go into more detail about what’s been going on in their lives.

Here is the meaning of the phrase, along with some of the best ways to respond to “What’s up?”

What does “what’s up” mean?

The phrase “what’s up” is an informal way of asking someone what is happening. It can be used as a greeting or to inquire about someone’s well-being.

“What‘s up” is usually a friendly way of asking how someone is or what they’ve been doing.

Sometimes, the phrase “what’s up” means “what is wrong” or “what’s worrying you.”

Alternative spellings and pronunciations include “waddup” and “wassup.”

How to Reply To “What’s Up”

When someone asks you “what’s up,” a short answer usually does the trick.

It does not necessarily require a response about what you are doing at that moment, although you absolutely can if you wish.

To keep the conversation flowing, you can add some questions asking about how they are doing.

What’s Up Responses

“What’s up?” can be responded to in a number of ways. In fact, any polite response would be appropriate.

Simply saying “nothing much” or “I’m good” are both perfectly acceptable answers.

Here are some other typical “what’s up” replies:

• “I am well, thank you.”
• “Nothing much, just doing my thing.”
• “I’m good, just wanted to say hi.”
• “Not much, you?”
• A lot has been going on, but nothing too exciting.
• “I’m tired, just finished work.”
• “Hey (name).”
• “I’m hanging in there.” (this means you are continuing despite the difficulties)
• “It’s been rough, but I’m managing.” (things aren’t going so good at the moment)
• “It’s been a tough week!” (very rough, very difficult week)
• “Pretty good, thanks for asking.”
• “Not bad, just a little tired.”
• “Not much new, just the usual.”
• “Same old, same old.” (this is a way of saying that everything is the same as usual)
• “Ah, can’t complain.”
• “Couldn’t be better!” (this is a very upbeat response, although not typical, it might show you in a positive, confident light!)

If you want to give a little more information, you could say something like:

• “I’m just doing some laundry and watching TV.”
• “I just got home from work.”
• “I’m out with friends.”
• “I’m studying, yourself?”
• I just had some lunch with my project group.
• “Just got some important work finished.”

You could also return the question to be polite:

• “I’m good, yourself?”
• “I’m fine, and how are you?”
• “Not much; how are you?”
• “Just chilling. What about you?”
• “I’m doing all right. And you?”
• “I’m doing pretty well. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, how have you been?”

Alternative Ways to Say “What’s Up”

• “How have you been?”
• “What’s new?”
• “What’s been going on lately?”
• “Anything exciting happening?”
• “How’s your day been?”
• What have you been up to?
• “What’s the latest?”
• “What’s up with you?”
• “Howdy!”
• “What’s going on?”
• “How’s it going?”
• “How are you doing?”
• “What’s popping?”

Funny and Sarcastic Responses to “What’s Up”

Sarcasm means to say the opposite of what you mean, made in order to poke fun or find the humour in something.

Some sarcastic responses that can be used sparingly:

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “Gas prices!”

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “My blood pressure!” (suggesting that you are angry about something!)

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “Nothing but the rent!”

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “The sky!”

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “Well, nothing blew up, so there’s that.”

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “Well, it sure isn’t the pay.”

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “Living the dream/ Living my best life.” (if said in a sarcastic way, it means that you are joking and not being serious)

Friend: “What’s up?”

You: “The opposite of down.”

Other Everyday Phrases and Their Responses:

• Best Responses to “How Is Your Day Going”
• Best Responses to “Hope All is Well” (Formally and Informally)
• 50+ Different Ways to Say Good Night To Family, Friends & Lovers

What does “what’s up, buttercup” mean?

A cute way of saying “what’s up” is to call someone by the nickname “buttercup.” It can be used as a term of endearment between close friends or family members.

“What’s up buttercup” rhymes and is a playful way to say hello to someone.

What’s up or Whats up?

The correct spelling is “what’s up.” The apostrophe ‘s’ is short for “what is.”

What does “what’s up, homie” mean?

“What’s up, homie” is a casual way of saying “what’s up.” The speaker is addressing their friend or another person in a familiar way. It is often used informally and has a friendly tone.

What’s Up Abbreviation

SUP is an abbreviation for “what’s up.” It is a way of quickly saying “what’s up” to someone.

Here are some other variations you might see in a text message:

• Wassup
• WU
• WUP
• Wazzup

In Conclusion

There are many different ways to respond when someone asks, “What’s up?” Some people might want to keep things simple and just say, “Nothing much.” Others might want to go into more detail about what’s been going on in their lives.

When someone asks you, “what’s up” a short answer usually does the trick. It does not necessarily require a response about what you are doing at that moment, although you absolutely can if you wish.

To keep the conversation flowing, you can add some questions about how they are doing.

How do you respond to what’s up? Let me know in the comments!

Useful Links

• “What Are You Up To” Meaning and Response
• “Thank You For Letting Me Know” Email Correction & Synonyms
• “I Feel You” Meaning with Examples and Alternative Phrases
• 20 Best Ways to Respond to “How Is Your Day Going”
• “Hope To See You Soon” Meaning and Alternative Phrases
• 50+ Different Ways to Say Good Night To Family, Friends & Lovers