LMAO Meaning [+ROFL, BRB, OMG, AFAIK, TMI, SMH, IMO + More Netspeak]

LMAO is an acronym for “laughing my ass off” but did you know there are lots of other ways to express laughter?

Naturally, when you text with two thumbs and more of the internet is being accessed via mobile, there are a lot of abbreviations that enter the online lexicon.

Acronyms like LMAO enable people to communicate what they mean without having to type out a bunch of words.

LMAO is one of the many common abbreviations used in text messaging, instant messaging, online communication, and on social media platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter.

So at some point, you’ve seen LMAO as part of internet slang and you’re likely to see it for a long time. Some slang – like the word “cool” – stays, well, cool for a long while others fade.

For example, “the cat’s pajamas” was a popular expression in the 1920s with a meaning akin to what “cool” is today, or “the bees knees” for a recent similar expression.

Did you know that LMAO could have more than one meaning?

LMAO is an internet slang acronym that stands for Laughing My A** Off.

Many people simply use LOL (laughing out loud). Many upgrade to LMAO when they find something funnier than normal.

If something is extremely funny, then they might even use LMFAO.

LMFAO baiscally means the same thing but adds in the F word to create Laughing My ****ing A** Off.

So it’s a little more out-of-bounds.

If you’re talking with a boss, co-workers, or in a more professional context you probably don’t want to use LMAO or LMFAO due to the swear words inherent in the latter. In other words they’re NSFW (not safe for work).

LOL is probably okay in some professional scenarios depending on the context.

HAHAHA is even less formal than LOL but not as vulgar as LMAO or LMFAO.

Another common acronym that is synonymous with LMAO is ROFL. This mean Rolling On the Floor Laughing.

Some combine ROFL with LMAO to create ROFLMAO (rolling on the floor laughing my a** off) to denote something they find hilarious.

LOLZ and LAWLZ are different variations. In terms of meaning, they denote plural – i.e., more than one laugh – so they’re generally somewhere between LOL and LMAO.

Emphasis of LMAO

Some will add extra O’s to LMAO or LMFAO to create something like LMAOOOO or LMFAOOO.

This means something is extremely funny or to add some extra flair to one’s writing.

Acronyms and Various Ways to Show that You’re Laughing Online

Alternative Meanings of LMAO: What Else Does LMAO Stand for?

LMAO most often means that something is funny or hilarious.

But it also has some other meanings.

As a result, many people aren’t aware of its alternative meanings.

What LMAO Means

If using LMAO to mean something other than the fact something is funny, make sure that who you’re speaking to knows your alternative meaning so they don’t get confused or even offended.

While some of them might be clever, just make sure your audience knows what you’re talking about before you use these. The last one, nonetheless, has essentially the same meaning.

• Lick me all over
• Leave me alone, OK?
• Let’s meet at the office
• Last man at the office
• Let’s make an offer
• Laughing my arms off

Ayy Lmao

Tumblr also popularized the phrase ayy lmao.

It is commonly used as a hashtag in reference to aliens or pictures of aliens.

Supposedly, ayy lmao is something said by extraterrestrials. The human meaning of ayy lmao is unknown because it’s an alien thing only.

Common Text Terms, Internet Abbreviations, and Chat Acronyms

Netspeak vs. Leetspeak

Acronyms like LOL, LMAO, ROFL, and LMFAO are what is called netspeak (aka chatspeak).

This means you use these words online or in written dialogue but you would never say LOL in normal verbal conversation (unless as a joke).

These expressions are used all over Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and other websites, but they’ve been used long before those sites and apps.

Netspeak is similar to leetspeak.

Leetspeak pertains to language originally developed by hackers who wanted to get around email filters.

Leetspeak works by using similar-looking numbers instead of letters.

For example, the number 0 can be used in place of the letter O. The number 3 (or a reverse 3) can be used in lieu of the letter E. The number 8 can be used in place of a B, and so on.

The spelling of a word might often be changed slightly to help skirt sensors.

People often use leetspeak as a way to swear, such as using an exclamation point, !, instead of the letter I as the third letter in the S-word. Or a parenthesis instead of a C when using the F-word.

Leetspeak is often referred to as 1337 because it can resemble leet.

Leetspeak became popular beyond the hacker community. It has mostly been used by online gamers, programmers (naturally, programmers tend to be good hackers), and on some message boards.

Leetspeak Examples

• ph34 = fear
• n00b = noob, newbie (Often used as an insult to someone who isn’t experienced, such as an online game.)
• m8 = mate
• j00 = you
• pl0x = please
• 10/3u = loveu
• what3v = whatever