What an “Lmao” Text Means from a Girl and How to Respond to It

Find out if her “lmao” means she thinks you’re funny, likes you, or is bored by the conversation

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: December 22, 2022 References

“Lmao” Meanings from a Girl

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Responding to “Lmao”

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Who can I send “lmao” to?

You’re messaging a girl and she keeps hitting you back with a simple “lmao.” Does this mean she likes what you’re saying, or could this short message just be a way to end the conversation? In this article, we’ll help you figure out what her “lmao” means, whether you're texting, DMing on social media, or even chatting on a dating app. Because this text can be a tricky one to respond to, we’ll also give you advice on what you can say back to keep your conversation going.

Things You Should Know

A girl’s “lmao” likely means that she finds you hilarious, she doesn’t have anything else to say, or she’s no longer interested in the conversation.
Ask her a question about her day or make a joke about how you’re funny to keep the conversation going after she sends “lmao.”
Send “lmao” in casual conversations with friends when you find something hilarious.

Section 1 of 3:

“Lmao” Meanings from a Girl

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She thinks you’re funny. “Lmao” literally means “laughing my a** off.” If you just shared a silly story or sent her a meme or joke and she replies with “lmao,” she’s likely telling you that she found your message hilarious. Her “lmao” can be a way to show her appreciation for your comedic chops and communicate that she finds you amusing.^{[1]
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- While similar to “lol,” or “laughing out loud,” “lmao” is used when she finds something exceptionally funny–so much so that she’s laughing off a body part!
- When she finds a joke or story really hilarious, she might extend her “lmao” to something like “lmaooooooo.”
- If she really wants to emphasize how much she’s laughing, she might send an “lmfao.” “Lmfao” stands for “laughing my f*cking a** off.” She just might be laughing in real life when she sends this!
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She’s interested in you. Sending an “lmao” after your funny messages or texts can be a sign that she likes you! You might be able to tell because she laughs at all your jokes, even the really corny ones. Laughter is super important when it comes to attraction and relationships, and the more that she sends you “lmao,” the greater her interest is likely to be. ^{[2]
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- It can sometimes be difficult to tell if a girl likes you over text, but there are a few more signs to look out for! She might text you more often, send you compliments and heart emojis, and ask you questions about yourself to show that she’s interested.
- She might tease and flirt with you with her “lmao” to show that she likes you, too. If you sent her a joke or meme, she might respond with “lmao you really think you’re funny, huh?” or “lmaoo you’re so funny! I can’t stop laughing!”
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She’s being sarcastic. Sarcasm can be difficult to pick up over text, but if she sends an “lmao” after you sent something that wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny, you’ll know that’s what she was aiming for.^{[3]
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- “Lmao” can also be passive aggressive and show her displeasure about something without directly saying it. If you told her that you can’t hang out on Friday anymore, she might text back “lmao ok.”
- There’s a chance that she might be laughing at you when she sends an “lmao.” If you don’t know her sense of humor well, an “lmao” can sometimes come across as rude or condescending, especially if you sent her a thoughtful message or story and that’s all she responds with.
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She doesn’t have anything else to say. Sometimes “lmao” is completely neutral. She might not know what to say or have the time to properly respond, but she still wants to acknowledge your message or text.^{[4]
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- Like “lol,” “lmao” is often just used as a sort of punctuation mark that ends her sentence. She might not use “lmao” to show that she’s laughing, but rather to express that your message is received.^{[5]
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She’s no longer interested in the conversation. An “lmao” might be a sign that she’s bored of the conversation and trying to end it. This can be especially true if she hasn’t been putting much effort into your conversations and is giving you one-word responses. This is often a clear sign she’s not interested.^{[6]
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Section 2 of 3:

Responding to “Lmao”

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Continue your previous conversation. If she just sent “lmao” to your joke or story, continue the conversation by asking her what she thought about it or go into further detail.^{[7]
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- For example, if you told her that a coworker spilled their coffee on you at work and she responded with “lmao,” reply with something like, “Yeah it really got everywhere! I have to go shopping for a new shirt now!”
- If she keeps the conversation going by asking a question about your story, her initial “lmao” likely meant that she thought it was funny but wasn’t sure what to say next.
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Ask her a question to keep the conversation going. If she’s only responding to your messages with an “lmao,” simply change the subject! An easy way to do this is to ask her a thought-provoking or silly question to reinvigorate your text exchange.^{[8]
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- Ask her “How was your day?” “So, did you end up trying that new restaurant last night?” or surprise her with “Okay, so what’s your favorite breed of dog?” or “Have you ever been scuba diving?”
- If she’s engaging in the conversation after you changed the subject, her first “lmao” probably just meant she wasn’t too interested in the previous topic.
- If she continues to send “lmao” or other one-word answers after you change the subject, she might still be bored or just not have the time to properly respond to you. Wait a day or so to text her again and see how her responses are then.
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Make a joke about her “lmao” response. When she sends an “lmao” about a story or joke you shared, playfully call out her response. Is she really laughing her a** off? Does she think you’re a comedy genius, or was she laughing at you?^{[9]
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- Say “I’m so glad someone thinks I’m funny!” “I really doubt that you did…” or “I think I deserve my own comedy special, don’t you? lol.”
- If she teases you back, her initial “lmao” likely meant that she thinks you're funny. It could also be a potential sign that she likes you.
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Flirt with her about her "lmao" response. If you’re interested in her, you can flirt with her, too. Say “Wow, you’re cute and you find me hilarious??” or “I bet your laugh is super cute.” You can then make her laugh again with a joke or ask her questions about herself to keep the flirty conversation going.^{[10]
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- If she flirts with you back by complimenting you or sending a cute emoji, her initial “lmao” was likely a sign that she’s interested in you.
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Send her an “lmao” back. This response never fails if you’re not sure what to say or don’t have the time to reply with anything more. This also puts the ball in her court to think of something to keep the conversation going.^{[11]
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- Other laughing responses like “lol,” “hahaha,” “hehehe,” and emojis like “😄” or “😂” work well as responses, too.
- If she also laughs back in response, or doesn’t reply at all, her first “lmao” might have been her signal that she’s ending the conversation. Some conversations naturally come to an end, so just pick back up with her tomorrow.

Section 3 of 3:

Who can I send “lmao” to?

Send “lmao” to friends and acquaintances. Because “lmao” is a slang acronym–and a more vulgar one at that–it’s best not to use it in a formal or professional setting. Use it in casual conversations when you want to express that you found a message, joke, meme, or video hilarious. And be sure to let the girl you’re talking to know that she’s funny, too!^{[12]
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