LOL

LOL means “laughing out loud.” Today it rarely means anyone is actually laughing. Most of the time it signals that something is funny, or simply keeps a message light and friendly.

What does LOL mean?

LOL stands for “laughing out loud.” It started as a literal reaction to a joke, but its meaning has softened over the years. In everyday texting, “lol” often works more like a smile or a friendly tone marker than a laugh. Linguist John McWhorter has described it as a marker of empathy that lightens a conversation.

That’s why “lol” turns up in messages that aren’t funny at all: “I’m running late lol” or “I have no idea what I’m doing lol.” It takes the edge off and shows you’re relaxed about it.

How to use LOL

• “That video of the cat falling off the couch lol.” (genuinely funny)
• “Sorry, totally forgot to reply lol.” (softening an apology)
• “Lol no, I’m not going to the party dressed like that.”
• “LOL I can’t believe you said that to him.” (all caps for a bigger laugh)

LOL vs. lmao and other variations

• lol in lowercase is the casual default.
• LOL in capitals usually means a bigger laugh.
• lmao (laughing my ass off) is stronger and a little cruder.
• lolol or lololol stretches the laugh out.
• lowkey lol or a trailing “lol” can make a message sound shy or self-aware.

Can LOL sound rude?

Sometimes. A bare “lol” in reply to something serious can feel dismissive, as if you aren’t taking it seriously. A single “lol” in reply to a long message can also read as low effort. If tone matters, add a few words.

Where LOL comes from

The earliest written record of LOL as “laughing out loud,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary and linguist Ben Zimmer, is a list of online acronyms in the May 8, 1989 issue of the electronic newsletter FidoNews. Wayne Pearson has said he first typed it in the early 1980s on a chat system called Viewline, but no written record of that conversation survives. Before the internet, “LOL” had been used for “little old lady.” The Oxford English Dictionary added LOL in March 2011.

Related terms

• Smh: shaking my head.
• Iykyk: if you know, you know.
• BRB: be right back.
• BTW: by the way.

See more terms like this in our texting abbreviations guide.