laugh 1 of 2

verb

ˈlaf How to pronounce laugh (audio)
Definition of laughnext
1
as in to giggle
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound everyone laughed when the clown dramatically slipped and fell

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to smile
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions you're going to try out for the football team? Don't make me laugh!

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laugh

2 of 2

noun

1
as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement the child's frown turned into a laugh when he saw the clown

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoot
someone or something that is very funny that new sitcom is a laugh

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter the film comedy had a good laugh in just about every scene

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of laugh
Verb
Mensah laughed about being part of the reason for those changes. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2026 Friends and family would eat meals under the family’s trees, while children would laugh and play. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Noun
Following debut Coming on Strong (2004), Hot Chip doubled down on the first record’s sincere lyrics, words so honest that many listeners felt the musicians were having a laugh. — David Harris, SPIN, 21 July 2026 My son waves his hands through my light and laughs and laughs. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for laugh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laugh
  1. giggle
  2. smile
  3. chuckle
  4. hoot
  5. joke
  6. scream
  7. sneer
  8. laughter
Verb
  • The audience giggled nervously as their seats rocked and rolled during the tense chase scene, and whenever the dinosaur went in for an attack, a squirt of water shot out from behind each audience member’s seat.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 19 July 2026
  • The audience of employees lapped up every word, giggled at every dad joke.
    — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026
Definition of giggle
Verb
  • Don’t cry because the men’s World Cup is over; smile because we are headed to Brazil in 339 days!
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Happy couple Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen smile on the carpet at the premiere of Dink on July 20 in Los Angeles.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Definition of smile
Noun
  • And while most of the film is unrelentingly grim, its few stabs at dark humor — most notably the punchlines about the grandmother’s faulty memory — didn’t garner a chuckle from me.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
Definition of chuckle
Noun
  • Their hoots and hollers drowned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s explanation of how a title defense fell short.
    — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026
  • Periodically, Spider-Noir is, indeed, a hoot.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Definition of hoot
Noun
  • For a few hours, the disappearance was fodder for office jokes, Mélanie Brinbaum, Nestlé’s European head of marketing and consumer communications, tells Fortune.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 July 2026
  • Poor Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are back in the mix, reprising their X-Men roles, and somehow, Channing Tatum is Gambit, like, for real and not as a joke.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Definition of joke
Verb
  • The shooting of Fuentes Zambrano cannot be seen on the footage, but a woman’s screams and four additional shots can be heard, per the complaint.
    — Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • The key is to train the mind to relax, just chill, even though somebody’s at the doorbell, even though somebody’s walking into the kitchen, little kids screaming through the house.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • Nobody sneered at authority and received wisdom more than Johnny Rotten.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • Cassie’s OnlyFans adventures, for interest, were depicted with a kind of sneering derision toward the character’s poor judgement and lack of savvy.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
Definition of sneer
Noun
  • The couple were once again photographed in deep laughter with Clooney at the 64th annual Berlinale International Film Festival in 2014.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
  • At the end of it all, there was laughter, joy and applause cascading from every corner of Miami Stadium.
    — Sergio Gonzalez, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of laughter

Phrases Containing laugh

Browse Nearby Words

lauds
laugh
laughable
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Cite this Entry

“Laugh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laugh. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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