lol
Stable🌍UniversalDefinition
Abbreviation for 'laugh out loud.' Once the definitive way to express laughter online, now used mostly as a tone softener or filler rather than indicating actual laughter. 'lol' in 2026 means 'I'm not being serious' or 'this is awkward' more than 'that's funny.' If something is actually funny, they'll use 💀 or 'LMAOOO.'
Translation for Parents
You know what 'lol' means, but it doesn't mean what you think it means anymore. Nobody using 'lol' is actually laughing out loud. It's become a tone indicator, like a period but friendlier. 'Sure lol' = casual agreement. 'Sure.' = passive aggression. The 'lol' is doing important emotional labor.
Examples
“I forgot my homework lol”
“I forgot my homework (and I want you to know I'm not stressed about it)”
“yeah lol”
“Yeah (but I'm keeping this light and casual)”
Cringe Score
Mildly embarrassing
Using 'lol' is fine. Using 'LOL' in all caps unironically is a generational tell. The capitalization matters more than you'd think.
Category
abbreviation
Peak
2005-01
Last Verified
2026-02-25
Sources
editorial