chuckle

verb

chuck·​le ˈchə-kᵊl 

chuckled; chuckling; chuckles

intransitive verb

1

: to laugh inwardly or quietly

He chuckled as he read the comic strip.

2

: to make a continuous gentle sound resembling suppressed (see suppress sense 5a) mirth

… the clear bright water chuckled over gravel …

—B. A. Williams

transitive verb

: to utter with a chuckle

Templeton grinned. "I'll tend to this," he chuckled. He took Wilbur's tail in his mouth and bit it. … The pain revived Wilbur.

—E. B. White

chuckle noun

chucklesome

ˈchə-kᵊl-səm 

adjective

chucklingly

ˈchə-kᵊl-iŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of chuckle

• laugh
• giggle

Examples of chuckle in a Sentence

She chuckled at the memory of what he had said.

everyone dutifully chuckled at the professor's intended jokes

Recent Examples on the Web

Former Larnaca player David Catala, who was captain when Iraola arrived, chuckles when asked by The Athletic about what pre-season was like under Iraola and De la Torre. — Andy Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026

The audience awkwardly chuckles, and Scovel, eyes still closed, begins reprimanding them. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026

And, as the crowd chuckled at that one, Vinatieri kept up the roast. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Aug. 2026

Yet Schoenbrun’s needle drops also seem to have been chosen to make the audience chuckle. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably frequentative of chuck entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for chuckle

• buckle
• chicle
• knuckle
• muckle
• suckle
• tical
• honeysuckle

Kids Definition

chuckle

verb

chuck·​le ˈchək-əl 

chuckled; chuckling

ˈchək-(ə-)liŋ

: to laugh in a quiet way

chuckle noun