# What does :rolleyes: mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651 "2004-02-11T14:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/1 "2004-02-11T14:02:15Z")
I’m curious. I see :rolleyes: abused so much on this and other forums that I’m curious as to what you all think it means. I’d thought that the name made it obvious that it was someone rolling their eyes. In my world, this is a representation of sarcasm, exasperation, or haughtiness–like when someone says something exceedingly stupid. However, a lot of people use it for things I can’t even fathom. They’ll ask a question or make a completely serious statement and then throw a :rolleyes: at the end, which completely throws me off. So, what _does_ :rolleyes: mean to you? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/2 "2004-02-11T14:17:34Z")
Most of the time it means, “Whatever.” But sometimes it means, “Oy!” ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/3 "2004-02-11T14:26:01Z")
Yeah, I’d use it where rolling eyes would be appropriate. Basically, after something really stupid. Can I ask for an example of innapropriate usage? I haven’t noticed any myself… ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/4 "2004-02-11T15:22:26Z")
Generally, I use it to mean “oh for crying out loud” but I’ve seen versions of it that look more like the person is grumbling. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/5 "2004-02-11T15:23:13Z")
:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/6 "2004-02-11T21:25:59Z")
> [@Jean Grey](#): > > Generally, I use it to mean “oh for crying out loud” Good translation! ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/7 "2004-02-12T00:15:10Z")
Abuse? Oh, you poor little smilie! Come here! {{{{ :rolleyes: }}}} there there, little roll-eyed smilie… feel better? Does it really matter how one uses a smilie? I like **Lobsang** ’s smilie fountain and such (tee hee). I could care less when and if someone uses a smilie, and I don’t mark the person posting with smilies for a horrible death. Who cares? If that’s the only thing you’ve got to upset you, then you live in a wonderful world. Sorry, I think my panties are bunched. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/8 "2004-02-12T00:27:35Z")
It means someone’s too wit-deprived to think of something to say, so they use a little icon. It also gives me an urge to smack some of the worst abusers. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/9 "2004-02-12T03:05:30Z")
> [@GMRyujin](#): > > It means someone’s too wit-deprived to think of something to say, so they use a little icon. It also gives me an urge to smack some of the worst abusers. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/10 "2004-02-12T03:08:15Z")
To me it means, :rolleyes: “Oh, puhleeeeeze!” :rolleyes: “I’m a dumbass.” :rolleyes: “Please note sarcasm in previous statement.” :rolleyes: “You’re a dumbass.” ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/11 "2004-02-12T03:52:43Z")
Hm, “abused” was too strong of a word. I meant more… “used in a confusing manner.” As in, I couldn’t figure out what emotion they were trying to convey. For example, the OP (no offense to him/her/it, it was just the first example I found) of [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=239155) does it at the end of himerits post. I mean, obviously shehit isn’t callin himeritself an idiot. Maybe I just notice odd things. ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/12 "2004-02-12T04:26:56Z")
Perhaps it is used to imply, “Here I am, thinking very hard on this topic of discussion. Notice the icon looks thoughtful.” I happen to be guessing, I think :rolleyes: hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/13 "2004-02-12T04:35:12Z")
> [@SanguineSpider](#): > > Abuse? Oh, you poor little smilie! Come here! {{{{ :rolleyes: }}}} there there, little roll-eyed smilie… feel better? > > Does it really matter how one uses a smilie? I like **Lobsang** ’s smilie fountain and such (tee hee). I could care less when and if someone uses a smilie, and I don’t mark the person posting with smilies for a horrible death. Who cares? If that’s the only thing you’ve got to upset you, then you live in a wonderful world. > > Sorry, I think my panties are bunched. :eek: You mistook me for someone else again! I never posted a smiley fountain (I saw it though. It’s cool) To me the smiley is the common reaction to a lame joke or an unoriginal opinion. Sometimes I use it to signify that I have lost interest in something, a 'whatever. ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/14 "2004-02-12T04:41:37Z")
:rolleyes: I did? Forgive me, man… ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/15 "2004-02-12T11:20:27Z")
You’re right… that IS an odd usage. WAG: you often see “WTF? ::rolleyes::” when someone posts something apparently nonsensical, and so some people have started to see ::rolleyes:: as meaning WTF? Someone could find an example by a poster with an email address and ask them politely and we could actually fin out… ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/16 "2004-02-12T13:28:11Z")
> [@GMRyujin](#): > > It means someone’s too wit-deprived to think of something to say, so they use a little icon. It also gives me an urge to smack some of the worst abusers. Actually, it means that the post (or the person) we’re responding to is so mind-numbingly stupid that it (or he) is not worthy of using the written word to respond. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/17 "2004-02-12T21:37:03Z")
> [@Jean Grey](#): > > Actually, it means that the post (or the person) we’re responding to is so mind-numbingly stupid that it (or he) is not worthy of using the written word to respond. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/18 "2004-02-13T17:21:44Z")
Am I the only one who sees it as an attempt to look inconspicuous after telling a bad joke? ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rolleyes-mean-to-you/228651/19 "2004-02-14T07:44:13Z")
Just as it is in real life, rolling eyes is one step above calling someone a bad name under your breath, just after looking behind you to make sure he won’t hear you. You don’t know why and you don’t care to think about it let alone explain, but you know you passionately dislike them! I’m not perfect though, I used it once when I was a teenager too.