Other Ways to Say LOL: 50 Texts That Sound Less Dry

6 min read · Say Less

The best other ways to say lol depend on how hard you actually laughed. If something was mildly funny, try "haha" or "ok that's funny." If you really laughed, go bigger with "LMAO," "I'm crying 😭" or "STOP 💀." And if you're flirting, react to them: "you're actually funny, that's annoying." Below are 50 options sorted by vibe.

If people keep calling your texts dry and you can't see why, Say Less scores your chat for effort and vibe and shows you where it's going flat. Read my chat

Why 'lol' reads as dry

"lol" started as "laughing out loud." Now almost nobody who types it is laughing. It's turned into punctuation, a softener you add so a text doesn't sound harsh.

That's fine in a group chat. The problem is when "lol" is your entire reply:

• them: "I fell up the stairs in front of my whole psych class"
• you: "lol"

They told you a story. You gave them three letters. That reads like "I saw this, I don't care."

Does lol sound dry? On its own, yes, often. Lowercase "lol" also reads quieter than "LOL." And "lol ok" can read as passive-aggressive, especially from someone you're not close with.

Instead of saying lol, what can I say? Match your reaction to how funny it was, and add one more word about what was funny.

When you actually laughed

Use these when it genuinely got you. Another way to say lol in text when it's real:

1. "LMAO"
2. "LMAOOO" (more O's = more laughing)
3. "I'm crying 😭"
4. "STOP 💀"
5. "not me laughing out loud in the library"
6. "HELP"
7. "I can't breathe"
8. "this is so funny I'm screenshotting it"
9. "ok that one actually got me"
10. "I laughed so loud my roommate (UK: flatmate) checked on me"

Lol vs lmao vs lmfao

• lol – mild. Sometimes just politeness.
• lmao (laughing my ass off) – you actually found it funny.
• lmfao – adds an f-bomb for emphasis. Really funny.
• 💀 – "I'm dead," meaning it was so funny it killed you.

Other ways to say lol or lmao without repeating yourself: rotate between "😭," "💀," "HELP," and a short comment about the joke itself.

Flirty ways to say lol

When you're texting a crush, laughing is a compliment. Make it land:

11. "ok you're funny, I hate it"
12. "why are you like this 😭"
13. "stop making me smile at my phone"
14. "you're a menace"
15. "I'm laughing and I'm mad about it"
16. "funny AND cute? unfair"
17. "you did NOT just say that"
18. "I'm gonna need you to stop, people are staring"
19. "ok that was smooth, I'll allow it"
20. "you're lucky you're funny"

These work because they point at the person, not just the joke. "lol" says "that was funny." "you're funny" says "you are fun to talk to." Big difference.

For more ways to turn laughter into flirting, try our rizz lines for girls to say to boys, especially the ones for replying to his story.

Funny reactions instead of lol

Sometimes the funniest reply is a reaction with personality:

21. "the way I just wheezed"
22. "I'm telling everyone this"
23. "this is going in the group chat"
24. "you need a podcast"
25. "who let you cook"
26. "not the [detail from their story] 💀"
27. "I'm framing this text"
28. "I need the full story, voice note please"
29. "you're unwell (affectionate)"
30. "ok you won the conversation, I'm logging off"

Instead of saying lol, add a callback

The strongest move: repeat the funniest detail back.

• them: "my dog ate my AirPod"
• weak: "lol"
• strong: "your dog is literally listening to Spotify from the inside 😭"

It proves you read the text, and it gives them something to riff on.

Emoji and keysmash options

Other words to say lol aren't always words. Some of the best laughs aren't even spelled right.

Keysmash, explained in one line: it's when you mash random keys ("ajsjdkfk") to show you're laughing too hard to type.

31. "😭😭😭"
32. "💀💀"
33. "ajsjskdkd"
34. "HAHAHAHA"
35. "hehe"
36. "dead"
37. "I'm deceased"
38. "screaming"
39. "😭 no bc"
40. "😂 ok"

Instead of saying lol meme

You've probably seen the meme where someone types "lol" with a dead straight face. That's the joke: "lol" has become what you say when you're not laughing. If your reply is "lol" and your face is 😐, the other person can often tell.

Here's the thing: it's really hard to tell from the inside whether you're coming across as dry. You know you're interested. They only see three letters.

Say Less reads your chat screenshot and scores your effort, the momentum and the vibe, so you can see if your "lol"s are landing as warm or as checked out. Then it writes three replies (smooth, funny, bold) in your usual style. Read my chat

What not to replace lol with

Some swaps make it worse:

41. "k" – reads cold, never use as a laugh
42. "haha." with a period – the period can read sarcastic
43. "that's funny" with nothing else – sounds like a teacher
44. "lol ok" – can read as dismissive
45. "😐" – unless you're clearly joking
46. "ha" – one "ha" is weirdly cold
47. "lmao" to bad news – check the tone first
48. "lolll" to everything – overuse makes it meaningless
49. "I'm dead" to a serious story – reads like you didn't listen
50. Nothing but a 👍 react – the fastest way to kill a chat

If your conversations keep stalling after small talk, our guide to what to say instead of wyd has 50 openers that give the chat something to run on.

See how your texts actually come across

Drop a screenshot into Say Less and in about a minute you'll see your chat's effort, momentum and vibe scores, the other person's Interest Level out of 100, and three replies written for that chat. No more guessing whether your "lol" sounds dry.

Read my chat

FAQ

Is saying lol dry texting?

On its own, often yes. A lone "lol" in reply to a story or a joke can read as "I don't care." Adding one more line about what was funny fixes it fast.

What's another way to say lol in text when something is really funny?

Try "LMAO," "I'm crying 😭," "STOP 💀" or "HELP." For maximum effect, add a callback to the funniest detail so they know you actually read it.

What can I say instead of lol when flirting?

Point the laugh at them: "ok you're funny, I hate it" or "stop making me smile at my phone." It turns a reaction into a compliment.

What does 💀 mean instead of lol?

💀 means "I'm dead," as in it was so funny it killed you. It's one of the most common lol alternatives with Gen Z, especially in group chats.

Is lmao a synonym for lol?

Kind of, but it's stronger. "lol" is mild or polite, "lmao" means you actually found it funny, and "lmfao" is even more.