Every day, we use emojis almost without thinking—but these little symbols reveal a lot about how we communicate, express ourselves, and connect with one another. Ahead of World Emoji Day on July 17, the Times of India published an insightful piece on the “10 emojis everyone’s using in 2025” and what they reveal about our digital behavior. timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Here’s a look at the most popular emojis this year—and what they say about us:
🏆 Top Emojis of 2025 (and Their Meaning)
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😂 Face with Tears of Joy – Still our #1 pick for expressing laughter.
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❤️ Red Heart – Unchanged symbol of love and warmth.
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🤣 Rolling on the Floor Laughing – Things have gotten really funny.
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😊 Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes – Friendly, kind, and approachable.
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🙏 Folded Hands – Used for gratitude and hope (“thank you” and “please”).
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🥲 Smiling Face with Tear – Mixed emotions like relief or bittersweet moments.
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🥰 Smiling Face with Hearts – Overflowing affection and admiration.
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😍 Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes – Intense excitement or adoration.
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🥹 Face Holding Back Tears – Deep emotion, moved to tears.
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👍 Thumbs Up – Simple approval or agreement.
🧠 What Emojis Say About Us
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Emotion Overload: With 8 of the top 10 being emotional expressions, we’re clearly using emojis to convey feelings fast and clearly.
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Versatility in Play: From joy to anxiety, our emoji use spans genuine connection and emotional nuance—our digital shorthand has depth.
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Digital Culture Heaviness: People are craving positivity, comfort, and emotional clarity more than ever.
💬 Why This Matters
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A Universal Language: Emojis transcend spoken languages—no translation necessary.
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Clarity in Online Chat: A little 😂 or ❤️ can completely change the tone of a message.
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Emotional Health: We’re using them to signal support, empathy, and understanding—even from afar.
🎉 Celebrate World Emoji Day
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Try using the 🥹 “face holding back tears” emoji to say thanks—it’s the emotional duo you didn’t know you needed.
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Watch how your tone changes when you swap out 🙏 for 😊 or 😄.
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Consider creating a custom emoji challenge for your friends: “Only respond tomorrow with emojis!”