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American English Abbreviations and Acronyms

Understanding abbreviations and acronyms is important. Below are some common abbreviations and acronyms that we use in American English.

 

Government

the FBI  Federal Bureau of Investigation
the CIA – Central Intelligence Agency
NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Note that we say this as if it were a word (ˈnæsə). We don’t say each letter.
the DEA Drug Enforcement Administration
the FDA  Food and Drug Administration
the NSA  National Security Agency
the DMV Department of Motor Vehicles
the VA  Department of Veterans Affairs
the IRS – Internal Revenue Service
ATF Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives
NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement
Note that we say this as if it were a word (ˈnæftə). We do not say each letter.
NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Note that we say this as if it were a word (ˈneɪtoʊ). We don’t say each letter.
the EU – the European Union
the UN – the United Nations

 

Organizations

the NRA  the National Rifle Association
AA  Alcoholics Anonymous
YMCA  Young Men’s Christian Association
PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Note that we say this as if it were a word (ˈpiːtə). We don’t say each letter.
AAA (Triple A) – American Automobile Association
NAACP (N-double-A-C-P) – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
ACLU  American Civil Liberties Union

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