Slang meaning
What does LOL mean?
Officially, LOL stands for “laughing out loud.” In practice, hardly anyone typing it is laughing. Lowercase “lol” mostly works as a softener that keeps a message light, while LOL in capitals or a stretched “lolol” signals something that really was funny.
Updated 6 October 2026
Laughing out loud, in theory; in practice, usually a friendly softener that stops a message sounding too serious.
What LOL can mean
1. That's funny
The original meaning, still alive in capitals and stretched forms. “LOL” or “LOLOL” after a joke means it landed, and “I lol'd” means you actually laughed. Even here it's more of a chuckle than a roar. For tears-in-your-eyes funny, people switch to lmao, 💀 or a row of 😭.
2. Keeping it light
The everyday use. A lowercase lol at the end of a line, “running late lol,” “forgot my charger lol,” doesn't report laughter at all. It lowers the stakes, the way a smile does when you admit something small face to face. Take it away and “forgot my charger” sounds flatter.
3. Nervous or pointed
Lol can also cover discomfort: “so you're not coming lol.” After a tense message it can mean “I'm trying not to make this a big deal,” or the exact opposite. A lone “lol” in reply to something long or heartfelt can feel like a brush-off, even when it isn't meant as one.
How people use it on Instagram and Facebook
DMs and texts
Where lol does most of its softening. It turns up at the end of apologies, small requests and awkward admissions: “can you send that again lol,” “i think i'm lost lol.” Leaving it off can make the same message read colder than the writer meant.
Comments under funny posts
A plain “lol” is the mildest reaction, a polite chuckle. People who found a post really funny tend to write more: “LMAO,” a string of 😭, or a tag to the friend who needs to see it.
Facebook and family chats
LOL in capitals is common on Facebook, often meant as a straight, sincere laugh. A well-known family mix-up is reading it as “lots of love,” which turns a sympathy message into an accidental joke.
Messages from customers
When a customer writes “lol,” they're usually relaxed, not laughing at you: “ordered the wrong size again lol.” Mirroring the friendly tone is fine, but answering a complaint with “lol” can read as not taking it seriously.
LOL in real conversations
- Direct messagei left my keys in the fridge again lolhow does that even happen 😭
- Instagram commentLOL the cat's face at the endshe was so offended
- Text messageso you're not coming then loli'm really sorry, work ran late. can we do friday?
- Facebook commentHappy birthday sweetheart, LOL 🎂Mum, it means laughing out loud 😂 but thank you
- Story replyme pretending i know what i'm doing at the gym lolconfidence is half of it
How to reply to LOL
Where it comes from
LOL is older than social media: it was already in use on online message boards and chat services before texting took off. When the Oxford English Dictionary added it in March 2011, alongside OMG and FYI, the dictionary also recorded an earlier use of the letters, for “little old lady,” from the 1960s.
Questions people ask
Does LOL mean “lots of love”?
Not in modern use. Some people, often older relatives, have read it that way, which is how “so sorry for your loss, LOL” messages happen. If someone puts it in a card or a sad message, they almost certainly mean love, not laughter.
What's the difference between LOL and LMAO?
LMAO (“laughing my ass off”) is the stronger and slightly cruder one: it says something was properly funny. LOL is milder and fine almost anywhere. Many people use lol as a softener and save lmao for when they're actually laughing.
Is it rude to reply with just “lol”?
It can be. After a joke it's fine. After a long message, a question or something personal, a lone “lol” feels like you weren't really listening. Adding a few words, even “lol fair” or “lol okay but seriously,” shows you engaged.
How do people write lol in other languages?
Many languages have their own: “jajaja” in Spanish, “mdr” (mort de rire) in French, “kkkk” in Brazilian Portuguese, “ㅋㅋㅋ” in Korean, “www” in Japanese, and “555” in Thai, where the number five is pronounced “ha.” In Dutch, lol is an ordinary word for fun: “voor de lol” means “for fun.”
What does LoL mean in gaming?
With a lowercase o, LoL is League of Legends, the team strategy game. Gaming pages, esports posts and stream titles use it constantly, so a “LoL tournament” is about the game, not a laugh.
Related slang
- LMAOA bigger laugh than LOL: it stands for “laughing my ass off” and often gets stretched to lmaooo.
- LMFAOLMFAO means “laughing my f***ing ass off”: a rude, stronger version of LMAO for something very funny.
- IJBOLIJBOL means “I just burst out laughing”: a quick reaction to something unexpectedly funny.
- JKJK means “just kidding”: it tells the reader you were joking and didn’t mean what you just said.
- bruhBruh is a flat reaction to something silly or disappointing, and a casual way to address a friend, like “bro.”
- IKRIKR means “I know, right?”: a quick, enthusiastic way of agreeing with something someone just said.
More slang meanings
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