As a fairly typical Millennial, I use “lol” the way the Internet Gods intended: at the end of literally every single text, even though I am rarely, if ever, laughing out loud. Whether I’m sharing a funny meme—an actual laugh-out-loud occasion—or revealing how sad I am after watching a particularly heartbreaking season of The Pitt, if I’m sending you a text, you can bet those three letters will be at the end of it. But, if you do it all the time, then what does adding “lol” to the end of your texts actually mean? And why are we doing it?
Well, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Patricia Dixon, adding “lol” at the end of your messages can mean many things.
“It’s having an awareness that sometimes people need a little humor in their life, or need to not take something that could be a serious situation too seriously, or not take themselves too seriously,” Dr. Dixon explains.
“Lol” is versatile. It can be used to communicate intention, to drive a conversation, or just to acknowledge a joke—just like an in-person laugh, which is part of why she believes it’s stuck around so long.
“It captures the real-time experience,” the psychologist continues. “What makes it timeless is that it is a reflection of real-time, real-life communication. It helps us to not lose that human-to-human connection.”
In other words, adding “lol” at the end of texts is a reflection of humanity. It also might reveal these 7 traits if you do it all of the time.
Related: 9 Texting Habits That Come Off as Rude—Even if You Don’t Mean To
Why Do Millennials Use ‘LOL’ So Much?
urbazon/Getty Images
While Dr. Dixon doesn’t have any hard data on the myriad of meanings behind the Millennial usage of “lol,” she does have a theory.
“I think a part of it is a level of coping,” she explains. “They use humor often to cope with whatever struggles or issues that they might be encountering. It’s a way to make a serious situation a little less serious.”
Related: The #1 Unexpected Reason Why Millennials Hate Talking on the Phone, According to Psychologists
Is ‘LOL’ Considered Rude in Texting?
It’s safe to say that in 2026, the definition of “lol” has extended far beyond the literal translation of “laugh out loud,” so whether or not it can be considered rude in texting really depends on the context. For example, Dr. Dixon warns that adding “lol” can sometimes be passive-aggressive.
“For myself, I know [there are] times where I’m saying something sharp to someone, but I’ll end it with an ‘lol’ in order to soften the poke,” she says, adding, “It can be used in a passive-aggressive way to say something that you really want to say.”
What Does It Mean if You Always Add ‘LOL’ to the End of Your Texts?
According to Dr. Dixon, adding “lol” to the end of a text is a strategy of “impression management.” In a situation that doesn’t involve sending a meme or responding to a funny TikTok, a texter will use “lol” to help guide how their main point will be perceived, usually to tone down the intensity or seriousness of the message.
“If you say, ‘I’m doing bad,’ that’s a switch where it’s on. But if you add that ‘lol,’ it becomes a dimmer,” she explains. “You have more control over how deep you go, or how much you choose to share.”
Related: People Who Avoid Responding to Texts Right Away Often Share These 9 Traits, Psychologists Explain
7 Traits of People Who Always Add ‘LOL’ to the End of Texts, According to a Psychologist
1. They worry about how they’re perceived
If you find yourself constantly adding an “lol” to texts—even when uncalled for—then it might be a sign that you’re worrying about how you’re being perceived.
“An ‘lol’ allows me to shift it if [the receiver’s] perception becomes something that makes me feel judged or misinterpreted or misunderstood,” Dr. Dixon tells Parade.
Related: How To Stop Worrying That Someone Is Mad at You, According to a Psychologist
2. They have anxiety
“I was telling one of the clinicians that work in my office about how I was going to be talking about this, and she was like, ‘I’m one of those people,’” Dr. Dixon says. “She says that part of it is anxiety management.”
People with anxiety sometimes struggle with post-text regret (i.e., the feeling of dread that comes immediately after pressing “Send”), and adding “lol” can help.
“When she’s a bit anxious about something that she’s sharing or embarrassed about it, then she adds an ‘lol’ just to ease the anxiety over how the person might take it,” the psychologist shares.
Related: If You Can Relate to These 9 Phrases, You Might Have High-Functioning Anxiety, According to a Psychologist
3. They fear oversharing
People who fear oversharing frequently use “lol” as a way to control the conversation when revealing something serious or personal, says Dr. Dixon.
“It’s almost like putting on a mask where it’s like, ‘I’m giving you a peek at what I’m experiencing and what I’m feeling, but because I’m not certain of how you’ll perceive me and I have anxiety about how you may perceive me when I share this information,’” she explains. “The ‘lol’ becomes a mask that almost covers the parts that you don’t necessarily want the person to fully see.”
Related: Psychologist Says People With High Levels of Self-Respect Never Share These 7 Personal Things
4. They want to be understood
As much as “lol” can be used to protect oneself from delving into sensitive territory via text, it can also be used to clarify intention in a way that can be difficult in a chat. People who want to be understood might break out those three letters to ensure that the receiver knows how to respond.
“A part of it is, ‘I don’t want somebody to misunderstand my tone,’” Dr. Dixon explains, adding that these people might use “lol” to mean, “Don’t take it too seriously or make it deeper than what it is.”
5. They’re empathic
Dr. Dixon also says that empaths tend to use “lol” as a way to level-set with a friend who might be getting overwhelmed.
“They might have something serious that they need to express to their friend, or they want to say to their friend, but they are aware that if it’s said in a harsh manner or without some level of lightheartedness, the friend might become overly consumed with whatever comment has been made,” she explains. “There’s an empathy part to it—an awareness of how people receive information.”
Related: 35 Simple, Sincere Phrases To Express Empathy, According to Therapists
6. They value connection
Adding this specific text abbreviation at the end of your texts is also a side effect of being a person who “values connection with people,” Dr. Dixon shares.
“They’re people who really want to make sure that they are effectively communicating what they mean and what they’re saying, so there’s a more conscientious effort of wanting to be understood,” she states.
7. They’re sarcastic
In my experience, one of the most common uses of “lol” is to convey sarcasm.
“People who share rough information or harsh information in a sarcastic way, if you add the ‘lol,’ it helps people understand, ‘I’m just being sarcastic, I’m not being serious,’” Dr. Dixon explains.
Whether it’s a quick “lol” at the end of the message or a follow-up “lol” to be sure that they got the joke, using the phrase when being sarcastic is pretty much required at this point.
Up Next:
Related: The Main Texting Habit That Ruins Relationships, According to a Harvard-Trained Psychologist
Source:
- Dr. Patricia Dixon, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist who specializes in talk therapy, coaching and sound therapy. She is also a professor.
