I Asked CNET Staffers Their Favorite Emoji for World Emoji Day. Smileys Reign Supreme
The rules for voting were simple: You could only vote once for your favorite emoji and once for your most-used emoji. There was more variety in the category of favorite emoji since individual tastes are subjective, while there was more homogeneity among most used emoji -- not surprising in a work environment. But smileys dominated both lists, making up over half of the selections for favorite emoji and just under half of the selections for most used emoji.
Yes, I voted in the poll, and, no, my creative genius didn't top either of our lists.
So without further ado, here are some of CNET's favorite and most used emoji and what those emoji mean.
2 emoji were tied for our favorite, and the vibe is 'everything's fine'
CNET staffers favorite emoji include the melting face and heart hands emoji.
Emojipedia
There were two emoji that came on top for the favorite emoji at CNET. The 🫠 melting face and 😬 grimacing face each had about 10% of the vote, making them the two favorite emoji of CNET staffers.
According to Emojipedia, melting face can be used for sarcasm or to convey a sense of embarrassment or a slowly sinking sense of dread.
"Melting smiley face is just a perfect encapsulation of when you're on the verge of a meltdown from things going awry but you have to keep smiling through it all," said CNET Studio co-lead Bridget Carey, who voted for the melting face. "It's just a delightfully cartoonish expression when I'm juggling too many things as a working parent and there's chaos in the world, because when everything feels like it's failing, I just want to laugh through it."
And the grimacing face can be used for "nervousness, embarrassment or awkwardness," so fairly similar vibes. That means CNET's two favorite emoji can be used to convey feelings of embarrassment or cringe.
Does that mean we're all struggling with feelings of awkwardness at any given time? I can't speak for everyone on staff, but I'm always trying not to embarrass myself.
Google Sheets
Some people really surprised with their favorite emoji
The grimacing emoji is one of the favorite emoji among CNET staffers.
While most favorite emoji were smileys, there were a few votes that seemed unusual. I'm thinking in particular of the two people who responded that their favorite emoji was the 🧌 troll and 💺 seat emoji.
The troll emoji can refer to an internet troll or trolling someone, so I understand and appreciate the usage there. But some people see this emoji as more than just trolling around.
"There's something about his generally unhinged yet whimsical design that feels perfectly applicable to any interaction," said CNET analyst Ellen Nelson, who voted for the troll emoji. "He's me on a Monday morning or a sarcastic response to my friends' ridiculous texts. I love his awkward grin and unruly hair paired with an all-powerful wooded scepter."
I agree with Nelson. Who hasn't felt the way this troll looks on a Monday or on the first day back to work from a long vacation?
And the seat emoji is… well, it's just a seat, but it can mean more to certain people.
"I love the seat emoji because to me it represents travel!" said CNET senior producer Wesley Ott, who voted for the seat emoji. "I'm not sure whether it is a train, plane or something else, but boy, does that seat look comfortable."
The good news is that Ott's right on the money. Emojipedia says the term "seat" can refer to a fixed seat on mass transit, like a bus or plane seat. At the end of the day, Ott's right; it sure does look like a comfy seat.
CNET's most-used emoji shows how versatile emoji can be
The folded hands emoji was voted the most used emoji by the CNET staff.
Emojipedia
While there was a tie for favorite emoji at CNET, one emoji received about 20% of the votes for most-used emoji, and that is the 🙏 folded hands emoji. While this emoji can be understood to mean prayer, it can also be interpreted in other ways.
A common meaning of the folded hands emoji is as a stand-in for a high five. According to Emojipedia, this understanding of the emoji started on Twitter around January 2012 before taking off in earnest more than a year later in July 2013. However, some early designs of the emoji included rays of light behind the hands or people bowing with their hands clasped together in prayer.
The folded hands emoji has also been used at times to connote someone begging or requesting something. And in some cases this emoji has been used to say "thank you," as exemplified in this cat gif.
Importantly, neither of these understandings of the folded hands emoji are wrong. Language -- and by extension emoji -- is an ever evolving thing that changes over time. Which is great, because I'll continue to use the emoji to mean a high-five and you can't stop me.
Google Sheets
CNET staffers ❤️ our heart emoji
Emojipedia
Besides the prevalence of smileys across favorite and most used emoji, I also noticed that heart-related emojis were the second most represented emoji overall.
The 💜 purple heart and 🫶 heart hands emoji both had votes as people's favorite emoji, and the 💖 sparkling heart, ❤️ red heart, 💛 yellow heart and 🖤 black heart all appeared in the most used emoji tally.
Each heart emoji can be interpreted as showing love toward others, but some can be understood in other ways. For example, Emojipedia says the black heart can be used to convey "morbidity, sorrow, or a form of dark humor," while the purple heart can be used to reference the Purple Heart medal awarded in the US military to soldiers who were wounded or killed in action.
If you've seen the Netflix show Adolescence, some of the heart emoji might look familiar. In the show, the teenage character Adam explains what different colored hearts mean to younger people. In Adolescence, a red heart is easily understood as love, but the yellow heart is more of a question, meaning, "I'm interested in you, are you interested in me?" And the purple heart means a person is horny -- so, you know, maybe don't use that emoji all over the place.
But some people just want to spread positivity with their heart-related emoji, especially after they feel other emoji are co-opted by unsavory folks.
"After tech bros corrupted my beloved sparkles emoji by making it visually synonymous with AI, there was an opening," said CNET writer Katelyn Chedraoui, who voted for the heart hands emoji. "The heart hands emoji glided through that window and into my life. I make heart hands all the time in real life, and I love spreading the joy online, too."
CNET's favorite emoji are just as diverse as emoji themselves
These are some of the favorite and most used emoji among the CNET staff in 2025. A person's favorite emoji is a personal choice, but communal experiences shape what each emoji means. Something could happen between now and this time next year to send the melting and grimacing faces tumbling from the top spots. The pandemic caused the 🦠 microbe emoji to shoot up in popularity in 2020, for example. So who knows, maybe the 😴sleepy face emoji will rise to the top and usher in an era of self-care and taking lots of naps. Or maybe the long-awaited orca whale, expected to come this fall, will make a big splash.
For more on emoji, here's how to decipher them, the latest approved emoji and how to react to messages with emoji on your iPhone.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Latin Music Legend Dead at 88
Latin Music Legend Dead at 88 originally appeared on Parade. Eddie Palmieri, a Latin music mainstay since the 1960s, has died at 88, The New York Times reports. The legendary pianist died in his New Jersey home after "an extended illness," according to his daughter. The New York City native gained fame for fusing Afro-Caribbean rhythms with jazz, funk, and soul to create a new, bold sound that defied genre. His first band, La Perfecta, formed in 1961 and revolutionized Latin music with its use of trombones in place of trumpets. The group performed all around the city, specifically uptown, and went on the pave the way for the salsa music movement. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Palmieri's experimental sound came from combining traditional Cuban band elements with jazz. His 1974 solo album The Sun of Latin Music won him a Grammy, making him the first Latino ever to do so. He won 10 Grammy awards over the course of his life, per the AP. He also formed a fusion band called Harlem River Drive, which blended Black and Latin styles to create an eclectic sound that was equal parts funky, soulful, and jazzy. In addition to his 10 Grammys, Palmieri received numerous accolades over his career. At the Latin Grammys, he earned a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Two of his 1988 concerts were catalogued at Washington's National Museum of American History, and Yale University awarded him the Chubb Fellowship Award in 2002—an award traditionally given to heads of state. Until his death, Palmieri continued performing in New York City jazz clubs like Birdland and Blue Note. As recently as last year, the legendary pianist was even recording new music with his band, as he told The New Yorker. He was also inducted into Jazz at Lincoln Center's Hall of Fame and performed at Sony Hall in Times Square to comemorate what the city's public advocate declared Eddie Palmieri Day. Latin Music Legend Dead at 88 first appeared on Parade on Aug 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
13 minutes ago
- CBS News
Here's a sneak peek at The BLVD! in West Sacramento
A new entertainment venue is about to open in West Sacramento, and we got a sneak peek. The BLVD! in West Sacramento is a new place to play, featuring 37,000 square feet of food and fun. It's an entertainment center featuring a bowling alley and modern-day arcade games. "We really feel like this is a place where people can come, stay for hours, have a great time," said Tami Thompson, The BLVD! director of sales and marketing. Suzette Gibson was among the very first people to try out the laser tag arena. "It was really great, a lot of exercise, a lot of running around, but beautiful," she said. It also features a live DJ, a bar and a restaurant. The bowling lanes also have a high-tech projection system called "Spark." "It animates your lane, it has all kinds of killer graphics and it's just a really cool experience," Thompson said. The BLVD! is located along West Capitol Avenue in the old Safeway building that's been vacant since 2018. They plan on hiring more than 100 employees. West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero says it's a great addition to the community. "I'm incredibly impressed at all the entertainment activities they have here for both children and adults," Guerrero said. This is only the company's second location. So why did they pick West Sacramento? "We see a lot of industry coming in, a lot of buildings coming in and we wanted to be a part of the expansion," Thompson said. The new business has drawn some criticism for having a dress code that bans torn or baggy clothes and large chains. "We want to make sure that people want to come here and have a good time with their family, and we want to make sure people feel safe," Thompson said. But many West Sacramento residents say getting this type of venue is long overdue. "It's good to have some type of entertainment where we don't have to leave the area, and it's right here in our neighborhood," Gibson said. The BLVD! opens its doors to the public on Friday. Bowling costs between $30 and $55 an hour, depending on the time of day.
Forbes
13 minutes ago
- Forbes
John Cena-Priyanka Chopra's ‘Heads Of State' Among Prime Video's Top Films
Indian star Priyanka Chopra Jonas is elated that Amazon Prime Video's new original movie, Heads of State, is now the fourth most-watched film ever on the platform. A press release from Prime Video announced that the film garnered 75 million views worldwide. Directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry, Nobody), the film features Chopra along with John Cena and Idribs Elba in lead roles. The film released on July 2 and remained among the top most-viewed films worldwide on Prime Video for four weeks. Priyanka Chopra Jonas-John Cena-Idris Elba's Heads of State garners 75 million+ views In its debut week, Heads of State secured the fifth spot on Nielsen's Movie chart, clocking 1.098 billion minutes streamed in the USA. Lead actors John Cena and Priyanka Chopra Jonas expressed their gratitude towards the audience soon after the viewership announcement on social media. According to Flixpatrol, Heads of State was among the top ten most-viewed films worldwide for a month on Amazon Prime Video. Cena plays the US president, and Elba is the prime minister of the UK while Chopra is an MI6 agent in the film. The film is produced by Amazon MGM Studios. Heads of State also features Stephen Root, Paddy Considine, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid and Sarah Niles. The action comedy is streaming on Prime Video in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. In India, Heads of State was the fifth most-watched film online in its debut week, Ormax Media recorded 1.7 million views in India for the film in the week ending July 6. The next week, it doubled the Indian viewership and climbed to fourth spot on the list. In its third week, Heads of State slid back to fifth position on the list. Heads of State is an action fictional comedy that shows a US President and the UK Prime Minister who need to thwart a global conspiracy to save the world, and they must set aside their rivalry to do so. Their close ally in the mission is the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Chopra). The president and the prime minister have a lot going on - the latter doesn't appreciate the fact that the former was elected as the head of his country because he was a huge Hollywood star. As heads of two countries majorly deciding the course of most global actions, they must be seen as allies. Despite their differences, they must appear to agree on important ideologies and steps. Both the actors offer a charming camaraderie in the process. They are playful and cheerful, yet authoritative. Chopra adds an interesting twist to the equation. She brings the agility and expertise of a secret agent while keeping it curtly passionate with her ex. The film is a fun-filled action ride which offers adrenaline-rush in the action sequences and lighthearted comedy in others. It also pushes political commentary with subtlety, making it possible for the audience to thoroughly enjoy the movie even if they are not aware of the politics. Earlier in July, Heads of State director Naishuller hinted at the possibility of having a sequel. In an interview with Screenrant, Naishuller said creating more of 'Jack and Marty' would be fun, if people enjoy the movie, and Amazon "feels like it makes sense to do a second one". The 2024 Christmas action comedy Red One ranks on top of the list of most-watched films worldwide on Prime Video ever. The film features Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in lead roles and is directed by Jake Kasdan. Ben Affleck-starrer The Accountant 2 is the second most-watched Amazon MGM movie on the platform, with 80 million global views. It was directed by Gavin O'Connor. The Tomorrow War ranks third on the list, right above Heads of State, Deadline reports.
