Emojis are your digital body language, and just like in real life, one wrong move can send the totally wrong message. 😬 The right emoji adds personality, sarcasm or a playful tone. But some of these tiny icons carry hidden meanings you might not realize.
Use the 🍆 emoji to talk about dinner? Yikes. Definitely don’t send 🐱 thinking it’s just cute. Even something as simple as the 😅 emoji might read way more awkward than you intended.
One bad emoji, and you’ve accidentally turned “Thanks!” into “I’m flirting” or worse, “I’m confused and sweating.”
So before you hit send, read this. 👇 It might just save you from an emoji facepalm.
Most misused emojis
😂 Crying laughing: If this is your go-to, you’re a jokester. There’s a reason I use it with my dad jokes. Heads up, Gen Z definitely thinks it’s for old people. Oh well.
💀 Skull: It means “I’m dead,” as in, laughing so hard it just about killed you. Super popular with Gen Z and now millennials. Use it and your kids or grandkids will think you’re groovy.
🔥 Fire: If you’re constantly dropping the fire emoji, you’re all about hype and enthusiasm. It’s the equivalent of saying, “That’s awesome!”
🙃 Upside-down smiley: The king of sarcasm for those of you with a dry sense of humor. It’s the perfect way to say, “Yeah, sure … whatever.”
👍 Thumbs-up: Sorry, but it usually comes across as passive-aggressive. When you respond to a long text with just a thumbs-up, people see it as dismissive. I’ll share what I use instead below.
🙏 Praying hands: Are you using this emoji to say “thank you” or to actually pray? You’re probably a thoughtful and appreciative person. Some people still confuse it for a high five.
👀 Side-eye: Dropping the 👀 emoji in a message? You’re either curious, gossiping or hinting at something juicy.
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