Is there a chance you’ve lately received a text with the phrase “LMAO” in it? It’s also possible that you overheard the remark being made in person. Investigate the meaning of this abbreviation and how it is employed.
Laughing My A** Off
“laughing my ass off” is what LMAO stands for. When responding to a witty message or meme, or any other content that is intended to elicit a hearty guffaw, this emoticon is the way to go. You might use “LMAO” as a response to an amusing video or incorporate it into a statement like “That’s hilarious lmao.”
Similar acronyms for “laughing out loud” and “rolling on the floor laughing” (ROFL and LOL, respectively) are derived from it. Many people think that ROFL is far more intense and loud than LOL, but is otherwise about as expressive.
An Overview of LMAO LMAO’s origins can be traced back to the early 1990s, about the same time as IRC and other online bulletin boards were popular. When compared to the other initialisms we’ve discussed, LMAO was originally defined in Urban Dictionary in June 2002. The earliest LMFAO listing, however, dates back to 2003.
With the proliferation of IM programs and SMS, the acronym soon began appearing everywhere on the web. In today’s online population, LOL now regularly appears in everyday conversation.
A History of LMAO
LMFAO, which stands for “laughing my fucking ass off,” is quickly becoming as common as LMAO. As far as popularity goes, the two acronyms are on par with one another and are used interchangeably.
In contrast, some people, especially younger internet users, employ the term “laughing my butt off” to avoid the negative in the original initialism.
When paired with the other online slang term ROFL, the phrase “rolling on the floor, laughing my ass off” is formed, often known as ROFLMAO. Only use it when something is so humorous that it justifies the time and effort of typing out all those letters.
Similar to other laughter-related acronyms, the meaning of LOL shifts slightly depending on whether it is capitalized or not. The difference between lmao and LMAO is that the former communicates a chuckle or a tiny laugh, while the latter expresses raucous, hysterical laughter. Lowercase “lmao” is also commonly used as a filler word before or after sentences and phrases in text messages.
LMAO in Culture
As a result of its widespread acceptance, LOL and its variations have been incorporated into numerous memes and cultural movements.
The “Ayy LOL” meme from 2016 is by far the most widely spread example. The alien image in this image macro had the text “ayy hahaha” written underneath it for comedic effect. The virality of the meme led to the phrase’s eventual adoption by the general public. A lot of people still use “ayy hahaha” as a way to express enthusiasm or interest in a topic aloud nowadays.
A temporary internet sensation used the initials as their band’s moniker. Before the word “LMFAO” became common parlance, there existed an electronic dance duo by the same name that performed from 2006 to 2012, overlapping with the band’s heyday. One of the best-selling songs of all time, “Party Rock Anthem” was published by the band.
Some people now use the phrase “lmao” instead of “laughing out loud” to express their amusement at something. People usually say “la mao” or anything close to that when they use the term.
How to Use LMAO?
Feel free to use LMAO or LMFAO whenever you feel like expressing your own personal laughter. It’s funny by itself, or you may combine it with other forms of laughter expression like gifs or emojis.
Avoid using the acronym in formal writing or electronic messages due to its informality. Limit this kind of talk to intimate settings, as with close friends.
To give you some ideas on how to use LMAO:
- Did you watch that guy slip on a banana peel and die laughing?
- One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen was someone saying, “lmao.”
- To which she responded, “LMFAO, no way!”
- To paraphrase, “Man, your shirt is sideways LMFAO.”
- Want to know what other acronyms you could encounter online mean? Read up about TBH, FTFY, and ITT in our articles.