What does trolling mean?
Trolling most often means deliberately posting provocative or insulting remarks online to provoke an angry, confused, or otherwise lively response. It can describe either the conduct of a person, called a troll, or the broader activity, and its connotation is usually negative: sustained trolling may amount to targeted harassment. The word can also be used more neutrally for provoking discussion, though context determines whether the act is viewed as criticism, mischief, or abuse. A second, older sense refers to fishing by dragging a baited hook or line through the water, usually from a moving boat. In ordinary Internet use, trolling is widely understood as a form of online baiting: the troll aims not simply to communicate but to elicit reactions and keep a disagreement alive. For that reason, discussions of moderation, civility, and online harassment often treat trolling as behavior designed to disturb others. The fishing sense is technical and context-specific, while the modern digital sense is informal and common across English-speaking communities.
To deliberately provoke or antagonize someone, especially by posting provocative or insulting messages online. In fishing, it means to use a baited hook or line dragged through the water.
"He continued trolling moderators with false reports and abusive messages."
The Internet sense is informal and often negative. The fishing sense is technical and normally occurs in a recreational or professional fishing context.
The activity of deliberately provoking online reactions, or the activity of fishing with a baited hook or line.
"The website introduced stricter rules to reduce online trolling."
The noun is usually uncountable and is most common in the Internet sense. It can carry a stronger implication of persistent and annoying behavior when it refers to directed harassment.
Trolling is normally used as an uncountable noun; the plural trollings is possible but uncommon.
"Repeated trollings of individual users led to the account's suspension."
From a Norse monster to an internet troublemaker, the troll’s modern career is all about provocation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does trolling come from?
Trolling is the -ing form of the English verb troll. The fishing sense belongs to an older English verb used for fishing with a baited hook or line, whereas the modern Internet sense developed through figurative uses of troll for a person or message intended to provoke reactions. The English noun troll ultimately derives from Old Norse troll, originally a supernatural being, and was applied figuratively to online troublemakers before the activity came to be called trolling.
How trolling is actually used
The Internet sense is informal and usually derogatory, although some speakers use it more neutrally to describe deliberate provocation. The fishing sense is technical and should be understood from context. The word is now especially common in discussions of online harassment and moderation.
Easily confused with trolling
Trolling uses a baited hook or line, whereas trawling drags a large net through the water.