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

• break up
• cackle
• chortle
• crack up
• giggle
• hee-haw
• laugh
• roar
• scream
• snicker
• titter
• twitter

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

The workers, in shock, started laughing, and Alvarez couldn’t help but chuckle at her grandma’s bold statement. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Luzardo chuckled when asked about the pitch design sessions. —Andy McCullough, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

With the peak of the shower coming during the first few hours of Earth Day, Krupp chuckled at the alignment of the galaxy’s display and our observance of the holiday. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025

Soon, Martin is fully submerged in Janine’s imaginative activities, pretending to be an astronaut in space and chuckling when a foam rocket hits Gregory in the face. —Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025

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