lol
/ɛl.əʊˈɛl/interjection, noun, verb, particle
lol is spelled L-O-L: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 112 times per million words in written English, the 951st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Lol, the name). As an interjection, lol means “Alternative form of LOL” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in lol?
| Letters | 3: L-O-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 112 times per million words; the 951st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is lol?
Lol appears 112 times per million words in written English, the 951st most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Lol, the name.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce lol?
- UK /ɛl.əʊˈɛl/
- UK /lɔːl/
- UK /lɒl/
Lol has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-LOL.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-LOL2.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-LOL3.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with lol
Also written: lo.
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
What rhymes with lol?
6 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as lol from its last stressed vowel (/ɛl/, British pronunciation):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of lol
- lols plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- lol's present, singular, he/she/it
- loling participle, present
- lolling participle, present
- lol'ing participle, present
- loled participle, past
- lolled participle, past
- lol'd participle, past
- lol'ed participle, past
- lold participle, past
- lawl
- lel
- lul
- lolsies
- lolzies
- lulz
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does lol mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
interjection
- 1
Alternative form of LOL.
- 2
archaicUsed in song as a nonsense syllable.
particle
- 1
Neutralises the tone of a message; denotes that a message is light-hearted or casual.
Are you really that bad lol?
interjection
- 1
Laughing (or laugh) out loud.
I just saw the video where he opens the door and gets the surprise! LOL!
- 2
Lots of laughs. (occasionally used)
I love the one where he orders a cup of tea but then chaos ensues! LOL!
- 3
Indicates light-heartedness or amusement, or that the accompanying statement is not intended as serious; sometimes extends to irony or sardonicism, in the same way that spoken humor sometimes does. Often now a discourse marker independent of laughter.
I hope you weren't expecting a welcome wagon, LOL.
- 4
datedLots of love.
P.S.: Give my regards to Elizabeth and to the children! LOL!
verb
- 1
To laugh out loud.
noun
- 1
CommonwealthIrelandUSLoyal Orange Lodge, a prefix given to all branches of the Loyal Orange Order. For example, LOL 1 is Portadown branch.
- 2
derogatoryinformalLittle old lady.
We've got an LOL in the emergency department who seems a bit confused.
- 3
An instance of the interjection "LOL".
noun
- 1
Alternative letter-case form of LOL.
verb
- 1
Alternative form of LOL.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate lol?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of lol: l.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Lol in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense expression of laughter:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does lol come from?
Acronym of laugh(ing) out loud, apparently coined by Canadian Wayne Pearson in the early-to-mid 1980s and first attested in 1989.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).