XD: what it means and when to use it
The face that laughs out loud: what it means and when it fits in your messages
XD is an emoticon that represents a face laughing out loud: the X is the tightly shut eyes and the D is the wide-open mouth. It’s used in chats, on social media and in messages to say that something is really funny to you.
Tilt your head to the left and you’ll see it right away. It isn’t an acronym or an abbreviation, but a picture made with letters.
What does XD mean?
XD means laughter, usually loud laughter. It’s the written equivalent of a belly laugh:
- “I wore my T-shirt inside out to the meeting XD.”
- “The dog ate my homework. Literally XD.”
- “You overslept too? XD.”
It belongs to the emoticon family, the faces made with keyboard characters, like 🙂 or :(.
It doesn’t mean “for God’s sake” or anything like that. Nor is it an English acronym, even though it’s used all over the world.
XD, xD and XDDD: is there a difference?
The way you write it slightly changes the nuance:
| Form | Nuance |
|---|---|
| XD | Loud laughter, the most common form |
| xD | The same, but a bit softer or more casual |
| xd | Light laughter, almost a habit at the end of a sentence |
| XDDD | Uncontrollable laughter: the more Ds, the more laughter |
| X’D | Crying with laughter |
None of them is wrong. It depends on the tone you want to set and on how the person you’re talking to writes.
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XD and other ways to laugh in writing
XD is just one of many ways to write a laugh. This table helps you choose:
| Form | Origin | When it’s used |
|---|---|---|
| Jajaja | Spanish | The most common written laugh |
| Jejeje | Spanish | A cheekier or shyer laugh |
| XD | Emoticon | Belly laugh |
| LOL | English, laughing out loud | Laughter, more common on social media |
| 😂 | Emoji | Crying with laughter |
| 🤣 | Emoji | Rolling on the floor laughing |
| (≧▽≦) | Kaomoji | Joy or laughter, Japanese style |
Today many people use emojis more than XD, especially on their phones. Even so, XD is still very much alive in chats, video games and social media comments.
If you want to learn more expressions like this, there’s a table in the post on internet slang.
How to use XD without looking bad
XD is easy to use, but there are a few details worth keeping in mind:
Don’t put it in every sentence. If everything has an XD, it stops conveying laughter and looks like a verbal tic.
Use it with people who already use it. If the other person writes “hahaha” or uses emojis, it’s better to follow their style.
Be careful with serious topics. An XD after bad news or a complaint can come across as mockery.
Don’t use it to soften criticism. “Your report has a lot of mistakes XD” doesn’t sound any kinder. It just sounds confusing.
On social media, think about the brand. An XD in a reply to a customer can work if the account’s tone is friendly. On a corporate account, an emoji is better.
Can you use XD in an email?
In a work email, better not. It sets too informal a tone, especially with customers or people you don’t know. As with other abbreviations like ASAP, it depends on how well you know them.
In email marketing, it depends on your brand and your audience:
If your brand is laid-back, an XD can fit in an informal newsletter. For example, to tell a story about the team.
If your audience is more formal or older, an emoji or simply a witty text is better.
In the subject line, an emoji usually works better than XD. It stands out more and takes up less space. If in doubt, compare them with an A/B test.
Think about accessibility. A screen reader may read XD as “ex dee”, which doesn’t convey laughter. If the humor matters, make sure it also comes across in the text.
If you like humor in your campaigns, the blog has examples of funny emails for inspiration.
How Mailrelay helps you
With Mailrelay you can get the tone of every campaign right:
Editor with emojis and GIFs. Add the touch of humor that fits your brand, without relying on XD.
Segments. Send your most informal emails only to the people who connect with that style.
A/B testing. Compare a humorous subject line with a more serious one before sending to your whole list.
Statistics. On the free account and the Enterprise plan, you see the opens and clicks of every campaign.
And with the free account you can send up to 80,000 emails a month to 20,000 contacts, with human support on every plan.
Send your most laid-back emails only to the people who will enjoy them.
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Frequently asked questions about XD
What does XD mean in a chat?
That something is really funny to you. It’s an emoticon of a face laughing out loud, with closed eyes (X) and an open mouth (D).
What does lowercase xd mean?
The same as XD, but with a softer laugh. Many people put it at the end of a sentence almost out of habit.
Is XD rude?
No, but it’s informal. It’s fine with friends or on social media, and it’s better to avoid it in work emails or with customers.
What does X’D mean?
Crying with laughter. The apostrophe represents a tear.
What is Adobe XD?
That’s something else: an Adobe program for designing websites and apps. It has nothing to do with the emoticon.
What’s the difference between XD and LOL?
Both express laughter. XD is an emoticon that draws a laughing face, and LOL is the English acronym for laughing out loud.