LMAO
abbreviation / exclamation /ɛl.meɪ.oʊ/ — Laughing My Ass Off — something is very funny
Definition
Laughing My Ass Off — an expression of intense amusement, typically in digital communication. An escalation from LOL; implies the humour has surpassed regular laughing into something physical and overwhelming.
Beyond the definition
LMAO is internet laughter made legible — the body responding to something so funny it exceeds normal expression. In practice, it often means mild amusement, but the hyperbole has become the currency.
Origin & history
Early internet chat (late 1980s–1990s). Part of the evolution from LOL to LMAO to LMFAO — an escalating comedy vocabulary that accompanied increasingly fast-moving online communication.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She sent the meme at midnight. LMAO. Couldn't sleep for twenty minutes.
LMAO at the idea that anyone thought this would work.
The tragedy of LMAO is that we mostly say it while barely smiling.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “LMAO” when the meaning fits your context: Laughing My Ass Off — an expression of intense amusement, typically in digital communication. An escalation from LOL; implies the humour has surpassed regular laughing into something physical and overwhelming.
Synonyms
very funny, laughing hard, hilarious
Antonyms
serious, sober, unfunny
Related words
LMAO vs lol
LMAO implies a higher degree of amusement than the generic 'lol.' Use it when something is genuinely funny rather than just a polite digital acknowledgement.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Close-up of Witty Adult Smiling
A close-up of an adult’s face delivering a clever joke, with a small, subtle smile of playful intelligence.
The wit in the expression implies a humour that transcends regular laughing. LMAO describes an amusement so overwhelming that it feels physical, reflecting the intelligence and playfulness found in a truly clever, fast-paced remark that genuinely surprises.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "LMAO" mean?
LMAO is abbreviation / exclamation meaning: Laughing My Ass Off — something is very funny. Laughing My Ass Off — an expression of intense amusement, typically in digital communication. An escalation from LOL; implies the humour has surpassed regular laughing into something physical and overwhelming.
Where does the word "LMAO" come from?
Early internet chat (late 1980s–1990s). Part of the evolution from LOL to LMAO to LMFAO — an escalating comedy vocabulary that accompanied increasingly fast-moving online communication.