Laughter is the best medicine and, when a loved one gifts us a good belly giggle during virtual interactions, we often find ourselves wanting to let them know about it.
For many years, the go-to way to do this was sending a quick LOL, which stands for “laughing out loud”.
Then, the Millenials added more variations to it, like LMAO, meaning “laughing my a** off”, and ROFL, meaning “rolling on the floor laughing”.
But turns out, these widely used internet acronyms aren’t quite cutting it for Gen-Zers, as they have come up with their own version of it: IJBOL.
Here is a look at what IJBOL means and why it’s so popular.
What does IJBOL mean?
IJBOL, also known as the Gen-Z version of LOL, stands for “I just burst out laughing”.
With more and more social media users opting for the new acronym, many have shared that it’s IJBOL’s relatability that makes them prefer it as it refers to laughter that comes unexpectedly.
When was IJBOL first created?
According to Mashable, the acronym has been around since 2009. It was given a new lease of life when the K-pop community adopted it and started spreading it in 2021.
Over the past couple of years, more and more people have adopted it and started using it regularly.
idk what ijbol means and at this point im too afraid to ask
— ben (@dontstartswift) March 7, 2022
Why is IJBOL gaining popularity?
The New York Times looked into why younger internet users are loving IJBOL.
A 25-year-old bank analyst named Ellie explained that she made the switch to IJBOL because it felt more accurate. She said: “I’m usually just quiet and then I let out a snort.”
On the other hand, a 27-year-old content creator named Micheal said: “I associate LMAO with millennial humor. But then I associate IJBOL with Gen Z humour, which is funnier.”
Meanwhile, some internet users remain confused about IJBOL, with one Twitter user admitting: “[I don’t know] what IJBOL means and at this point I’m too afraid to ask”.
