As long as we’ve had the capacity, human beings have trolled each other. Sometimes, it’s just too fun to resist! If you’ve ever looked at centuries-old graffiti or texts, you’ll find that people have always enjoyed making fun of others or getting people riled up.
Trolling is a slang term that came about with the rise of the internet. Originally, it meant deliberately making inflammatory comments on social media just to get other people upset. Trolls were people who wanted to get an over-the-top emotional response. We’ve all seen someone say, “Ignore him — he’s just a troll.”
But the term has evolved to refer to almost anything done to get a rise out of someone. It could be on the internet or in person. The whole point is to try to provoke a person into a reaction.
But that doesn’t mean all trolling is mean-spirited. You can absolutely mess with someone in a lighthearted way and still have it be “trolling.” In those cases, it’s closer to pranking or teasing. But as long as you meet those criteria, you’re a troll.
So, trolls of the world unite! And enjoy these 75 people who like trolling, too.
1. This employee had a solution to her boss saying her hair was too long
Long hair can actually pose a problem when it comes to food safety. Having it tied up or in a hair net is sufficient. When her boss decided to make personal comments, she responded with attitude.
2. This mom obligingly “covered up” while breastfeeding
This mother was trying to breastfeed her hungry baby when a local busybody demanded that she “cover up.” So …she did, in the most literal way possible
3. This medic made her coworker a Halloween costume
Halloween is a great time for people to cut loose a little and have some fun at work. This medic decided to dress up as her coworker, and thankfully, he was happy to play along
4. These coworkers set up a memorial to their former cubicle mate
This employee had recently been moved to another cubicle but was still at the same job. But apparently, his former cubicle neighbors missed him enough to make this over-the-top memorial.
5. This neighbor just wanted to be part of the family
This person thought it would be pretty funny to insert herself into her neighbor’s family car portrait. You’ll notice that she’s holding hands with Dad.
6. This employee had a great idea for modern money transfer
Forget Venmo, Paypal, or Facebook money transfer — how about flying a drone with cash tied to it? It’s just one more modern solution to repaying debt.
7. This person got passive-aggressive about a dirty plate
Your coworkers are bound to annoy you, whether because you don’t get along or because they do things like not tossing out their dirty dishes. This employee decided to frame some trash as a work of “art.”
8. This person had questions
This person was confused and a little bit alarmed as to why the delivery guy opened their pizza. This just bears asking — was it the delivery driver who put it there?
9. This grammar corrector
When one person saw this sign riddled with spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, they just couldn’t resist. Well, they probably could have, but they didn’t want to.
10. This daughter capitalized on her dad’s mistake
This daughter decided to poke some fun at her dad after he accidentally knocked a hole in the wall. Now it’s not a hole, it’s art!
11. This rule-breaker
Someone in this office is REALLY riled up about people using the color printer. And when someone gets that upset, trolls are bound to come out of the woodwork in the most colorful way possible.
12. This ham thief
If there’s anything more insulting than stealing someone’s lunch, it’s stealing someone’s lunch and then only giving it a 6 out of 10. To be fair, Wayne was asking for it.
13. These parents had an elaborate explanation about where babies come from
What should you do when you’re bored at home with the baby? How about staging an elaborate photo with a watermelon and then using it for future questions about where babies come from?
14. This clever cursor switch
Apparently, if you’re tech-savvy and have a juvenile sense of humor, you can turn your co-worker’s computer cursor into a phallic shape. Who knew?
15. This husband had feelings about the way to put the toilet paper on the roll
We all have little things that we bicker about with our significant others. Apparently, for this couple, it’s the right way to put the toilet paper on the roll.
16. This guy slashed his boss’s tires
I’m assuming this guy ran up to his boss’s office and said, “Come quick, someone slashed your tires!” The result was a frenzied rush down to the parking lot to find that someone had “Slashed” their tires.
17. This troll waited 141 years for their joke to land
Someone back in 1873 had an idea for a stupid joke that would give him a chuckle. They missed the joke’s landing by almost a century and a half, but hopefully, they know it worked.
18. This husband went the extra mile to cut his wife’s sandwich “in half”
That’s some pretty elaborate knife work for the purpose of a troll. In case you hadn’t guessed yet, this artist’s wife asked her hubby to cut her sandwich “in half” but didn’t specify further.
19. These coworkers had no sympathy
There’s nothing like being vulnerable in front of a bunch of people you work with. They can either be compassionate or do…this.
20. These parents have a sick sense of humor
This couple’s adult child heard about an escaped murderer in their area and texted them to make sure they were okay. They responded with this staged photo.
21. This dad kept his money in a special drawer
When his child asked for $10 for gas for the car, he told them it was in the top left drawer of his desk. Incidentally, that’s also where he keeps his unicorns.
22. The owner of this van likes to watch people panic
Can you imagine driving behind this van and having a moment where you thought everything was about to be over? You, sir or madam, have a sick sense of humor.
23. These coworkers aren’t good at saying goodbye
When their co-worker left for a new job, these office mates gave them some cookies that spelled out their thoughts on the matter. Those cookies are beautiful, though.
24. This troll was almost four decades in the making
To be honest, if I was colorblind, I probably wouldn’t tell the people at he crayon factory, either. Now, Emerson Moser is a legend.
25. It’s passive-aggressive AND thoughtful
When a pole fell outside their apartment and management waited months to address it, this person had an interesting response. At least it’s a nice gesture!
26. This employee stayed late to do…this
It takes some dedication to stay late after work just to tape creepy photos of Nicolas Cage over your coworkers’ computer mice. But hopefully, it was worth it.
27. This birthday boy got exactly what he wanted
When asked what he wanted for his birthday, this kid responded with “cold, hard cash.” He wasn’t exactly thrilled to get what he requested.
28. This dad’s pizza order wasn’t as nice as it seemed
This college student’s dad ordered a pizza to be delivered to his son’s dorm. But he couldn’t figure out why the delivery driver seemed so uncomfortable until he looked at the receipt.
29. This woman’s coworkers were really excited about her birthday
It’s always nice to make a gesture when one of your office mates has a birthday! Of course, this woman’s coworkers made about 100 gestures.
30. This dedicated bookstore troll
It probably took this troll a while to do this, which means they were really committed to it. The genre is mystery, you weirdos, not the selection!
31. This artist gave local plane passengers a scare
If you live where there are a lot of planes flying overhead and you’re a professional artist, why not paint some horrifying monsters on the roof? Then you can imagine that everyone’s uncomfortable in the sky.
32. This Milwaukee resident had the same idea
This guy lives near the airport in Milwaukee so he decided to do this to freak out everyone coming in for a landing. Unfortunately, he’ll never be able to witness it for himself.
33. This guy’s coworkers were going to miss him
“What should we get Jim as a way to express our appreciation for his hard work at our company? A gift card? A balloon? A full-size portrait of him in military regalia?”
34. This Rickroller
Rickrolling, in case you’re super behind on pop culture, is a prank that involves playing a bait-and-switch with an online link. This YouTube commenter proposed taking it to the next level.
35. This speed vigilante
This person dedicated some time to this troll, making themselves a speed checker costume and then standing on the side of the road. Imagine the driver’s reaction when they saw them move.
36. Chris thinks highly of himself
There are all sorts of ways to quit a job and Chris has covered — well, one of them. He knows his own worth enough to commiserate on his employer’s loss.
37. This religious son
So many religious grandmas and parents have been tricked into putting up photos of Ewan MacGregor around their home, thinking it’s a picture of Jesus. Perhaps it’s time to introduce them to the Star Wars prequels.
38. This terrible neighbor
This person was either really tired of listening to their neighbors’ music or just enjoyed messing with them. Or, let’s be honest — probably a little of both.
39. This brutal professor
We can only imagine what Robby and Jerry did to incur this professor’s wrath, but we’re betting they’ll never do it again. They were probably having a panic attack during the test.
40. This Canadian baker
When this Canadian offered to bake an America cake for a local Fourth of July celebration, they couldn’t resist sneaking in a tribute to Canada. And honestly, we’re not even mad. That takes skill!
41. These dedicated Christmas pranksters
How to confuse all your neighbors during the holidays: buy a really tall Christmas tree, saw it in half, put the bottom half in your living room and the top half on the roof. Merry Christmas, everyone!
42. These evil room renovators
What should you do when you’re moving out of a house and want to leave a message for the next occupants? Well, there are a lot of options. But if you have a sick sense of humor, you can do something like this.
43. This mom thought she was hilarious
When her child asked for money, this mom responded by giving them some — she just took the time to roll it all up and stuff it inside of a bunch of Tootsie Roll wrappers first. I think this is the definition of extra.
44. This guy is just sick
Is there anything crueler than getting everyone hyped up for doughnuts only to pull a bait-and-switch with vegetable munchies? YOU’RE A BAD PERSON.
45. These partygoers define teamwork
Every person attending this party dressed up as their friend as he appeared in his Twitter picture. This is a masterful troll job.
46. This creative ex-employee
Can you imagine how horrified the next person must’ve been to find labeled tighty-whities in their desk? This prankster might not have been around to witness it, but imagining it is enough.
47. This sassy barista
When you’re writing hundreds of names on cups every day, you probably look for something to make it more interesting. For example, messing with your customers.
48. This mom wasn’t about to blame anything on a typo
Typos and autocorrect errors happen to all of us so you’d think Mom would be understanding. Nope, she’s going to take the opportunity to troll and run with it.
49. This dedicated forum troll
You’ve got to have some respect for the person who took the time to troll a random, anonymous forum poster, especially when they wouldn’t even be able to see their reaction.
50. This hilarious person wanted to help their coworker look even cooler
This person’s co-worker was really excited about their new motorcycle. So of course, once they finally got to work, they took the opportunity to bedazzle it a little. Now they’re the coolest motorcyclist on the block.
51. This husband trolled his wife for seven straight minutes
This poor woman was trying to weigh herself for seven minutes straight only to find that her husband was messing with her results. You’d think she would know him well enough to call him out!
52. It’s working!
This is kind of a jerk move, but you’ve got to admit it’s also funny. Of course, unless the people behind them see what’s written on the sign, they won’t get it.
53. These password trolls
This coordinated team effort got someone to reveal their password — and considering they “secretly” love 50 Cent, I’m guessing they didn’t want that to be public knowledge.
54. These coworkers have a terrible sense of humor
Getting stabbed is a serious and traumatic event — not to mention a painful one that can have long-term repercussions. So naturally, when it happened to this person, their coworkers responded like this.
55. This professional trolling company from the 19th century
It just goes to show that people have always enjoyed pulling the wool over one another’s eyes. Consider yourself trolled, 1800s-style.
56. This woman wanted to let the pizza place know she’d gotten the message
Some places can go a bit overboard with the advertising. This woman had an interesting way of letting them know they were overdoing it. What a beautiful wreath!
57. This trolling virtual assistant
What a world we live in where you can literally be trolled by a robot. For someone who isn’t actually real, Siri sure does have a lot of attitude.
58. This celebrity troll
Alec Baldwin’s feelings about President Trump are pretty well known, considering that he parodies him often on “Saturday Night Live.” But his Russian MAGA hat — referencing Russian collusion in the 2016 election — takes it to the next level.
59. This sneaky mom
Isn’t it annoying when someone ignores your texts? This mom had a creative — and cruel way of making sure her child responded to her.
60. These employees wanted to keep a piece of their departing colleague
There’s nothing like leaving a workplace for a new job. But don’t worry, this guy’s coworkers made sure he’ll never truly leave.
61. That’s a lot of humming
This person got so irritated by their coworker’s incessant humming and singing, they decided to keep a record of all the instances. They even included timestamps and song titles.
62. This well-read bookstore troll
One employee at this bookstore noticed a trend in book cover art and decided to have some fun with the display. That’s what you get for putting them in charge of it.
63. This mini troll hates pictures
This little girl does not like to have her picture taken or maybe she just enjoys messing with her parents. Every time they take a photo, she switches at the last second from a smile to this expression.
64. This customized license plate troll
When it comes to customized license plates, there are a lot of options. This person decided to go with the “be as confusing as possible” solution.
65. These coworkers pay just a little too much attention
Ryan’s coworkers have been tracking his bathroom habits and think he’s been spending just a little too much time in there. Can you say “a little close for comfort?”
66. This troll thought they were pretty hilarious
Some trolls just think they’re so hilarious — like this person, who couldn’t waste an opportunity to drop this corny line. Do they carry Post-Its around for this express purpose?
67. This troll wanted to freak out everyone on the highway
This person wasn’t there to see it, but they had a chuckle knowing that drivers would be freaking out for months to come …until someone finally moved those boots, of course.
68. This guy’s wife picked up 50 shades of gray
This guy was surprised when his wife told him she was bringing home “50 shades of gray.” And true to her word, she brought home…50 shades of gray.
69. These multiracial friends trolled a racist
After former Clippers owner Donald Sterling was accused of racism and discrimination, these sports fans had an interesting response. It’s trolling AND activism!
70. This boyfriend knew exactly how to bother his girlfriend
This guy knew how much spelling and grammar mistakes annoyed his girlfriend. So, when she got these jars, he seized his opportunity. Thanks, man, now I hate them.
71. This sports fan is also a troll
Don’t you hate the people who go to crowded events with a big sign? This guy knows how much we all hate him — in fact, he’s banking on it.
72. Wait…
This class textbook is straight-up trolling its readers with this impossible solution. The text kind of reads like something that Lewis Carroll wrote.
73. This brutal mother
Often, parents want their kids to be in relationships more than their kids want to be in one. This mother had a rather rude way of expressing that.
74. This wife left some French toast for her husband
This guy’s wife told him she had left him some French toast in the pan. Wasn’t that sweet of her? Except this is what he found.
75. These people got really invested
When you live above a coffee shop that’s known for its high prices, what are you going to do? Make a “Free coffee” sign, of course.
As long as we’ve had the capacity, human beings have trolled each other. Sometimes, it’s just too fun to resist! If you’ve ever looked at centuries-old graffiti or texts, you’ll find that people have always enjoyed making fun of others or getting people riled up.
Trolling is a slang term that came about with the rise of the internet. Originally, it meant deliberately making inflammatory comments on social media just to get other people upset. Trolls were people who wanted to get an over-the-top emotional response. We’ve all seen someone say, “Ignore him — he’s just a troll.”
But the term has evolved to refer to almost anything done to get a rise out of someone. It could be on the internet or in person. The whole point is to try to provoke a person into a reaction.
But that doesn’t mean all trolling is mean-spirited. You can absolutely mess with someone in a lighthearted way and still have it be “trolling.” In those cases, it’s closer to pranking or teasing. But as long as you meet those criteria, you’re a troll.
So, trolls of the world unite! And enjoy these 75 people who like trolling, too.