LOL Meaning: How to Use It Correctly in Texts

Meaning 1：laugh out loud (LOL)

LOL 🔊

/læf aʊt laʊd/

int.

It means laughing out loud, used in online messages to show something is very funny.

LOL in chat bubble with smiling emoji on phone screen

laugh out loud 🔊

➕

/læf aʊt laʊd/

int.

An interjection used in text-based communication to indicate that something is very funny. It expresses amusement or laughter, often in response to a humorous message, image, or video.

📁 Category：Language Evolution 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Acronym formed from the initial letters of 'Laugh Out Loud'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine typing 'LOL' while literally laughing out loud — the letters mirror the action.

📖 Example

When my friend sent me that silly cat video, I immediately replied LOL. 🔊 When my friend sent me that silly cat video, I immediately replied LOL.

🔗 Collocations

type LOL – to write the acronym as a response

say LOL out loud – to pronounce the word when reading a message

LOL moment – a situation that prompts laughter in a conversation

🔄 Synonyms

LMAO (int.) – Stands for 'laughing my ass off'; expresses stronger amusement.

ROFL (int.) – Stands for 'rolling on the floor laughing'; indicates hearty laughter.

haha (int.) – A representation of laughter, often used similarly to LOL.

🚫 Antonyms

sad (adj.) – Expressing sorrow or unhappiness, opposite of amused.

🌱 Derivatives

lolz (n.) – Plural form of LOL, used as a noun meaning laughs or amusement.

loller (n.) – A person who frequently uses 'LOL' in messages.

📖 Cultural Story

LOL originated in early internet chatrooms in the 1980s, popularized by users to express laughter in text. It became a cornerstone of digital communication and is now widely used in texting, social media, and even speech as a casual interjection.