LMAO Meaning and Definition

 In the digital age, we’re surrounded by internet acronyms. If you’ve seen the abbreviation LMAO online or in text messages, you might be wondering what it stands for.

The short answer is that LMAO is an abbreviation for laughing my ass off. It’s usually used to indicate that the speaker finds something incredibly funny.

In this article, we’ll look at what LMAO means and how people typically use this acronym in text conversations.

What Does LMAO Stand For?

LMAO is an internet acronym for the phrase laughing my ass off.

What Does LMAO Mean?

We use LMAO to express that we find something extremely funny. This initialism is common on social media, on instant messaging apps, and in written conversations.

Similar abbreviations include LOL, which stands for laughing out loud, and ROFL, which stands for rolling on the floor laughing. They’re all used in response to something that’s considered extremely funny.

This acronym can be spelled in all caps or in lowercase letters, depending on your personal preference. Sometimes people also add emphasis to LMAO by adding more Os at the end, such as LMAOOOO.

An even stronger version of LMAO is LMFAO, which means laughing my f*cking ass off. LMFAO is considered vulgar in some circles, so you should be careful only to use it with an appropriate audience.

In addition to seeing LMAO online, you might also hear LMAO spoken in real-life conversations. There are two common ways to pronounce this acronym. You can either sound out each letter individually (“el-em-ay-oh”), or sound out the acronym like it’s a normal word (“luh-mao.”)

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What Does LMAO Mean in Text?

Just like any expression, LMAO can be used in a sarcastic way as well as a sincere one. The tone of this expression changes depending on the context.

These days, people often use LMAO in text to reply to something that isn’t actually very amusing. For example, if your friend sends you a meme, you might reply “LMAO” whether or not you actually find it funny.

Where Does LMAO Come From?

The phrase to laugh one’s ass off has been used since at least the 1950s, when it appeared in J. D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye. The acronym LMAO dates back to the 1990s, when people on the internet began to use it regularly.  

LMAO Examples in Text

Let’s take a look at an example where LMAO is being used in a text conversation between friends.

• Friend 1: I can’t believe you thought colonel was spelled kernel.

• Friend 2: LMAOOOO yeah, that wasn’t the proudest moment of my career.

• Friend 1: It’s ok, we all make mistakes.

Here’s an example of how LMAO might be used on an internet forum.

• Member 1: Someone told me our favorite band might be breaking up next year.

• Member 2: LMAO what? That’s ridiculous. Where did you hear that?

• Member 1: I can’t reveal my sources.

Finally, here’s an example of how LMAO can be used in a family group chat in a slightly sarcastic way.

• Dad: What time did the man go to the dentist?

• Sibling 1: I don’t know, what time?

• Dad: Tooth hurt-y!

• Sibling 2: lmao

• Sibling 1: There he goes again with the dad jokes.

Keep in mind that LMAO might be common in conversations between friends, but it should only be used in informal situations, especially since ass can be considered a vulgar word in some contexts. You can use ProWritingAid’s Paraphrase Report to help reword your writing for more formal communication.