giggle

1 of 2

verb

gig·​gle ˈgi-gəl 

giggled; giggling ˈgi-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to laugh with repeated short catches of the breath

transitive verb

: to utter with a giggle

giggler

ˈgi-g(ə-)lər 

noun

gigglingly

ˈgi-g(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb

giggly

ˈgi-g(ə-)lē 

adjective

giggle

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act of giggling

2

chiefly British : a source of amusement

Synonyms of giggle

Verb

• laugh
• chuckle

Noun

• laugh
• joke
• joking

Examples of giggle in a Sentence

Verb

She giggled like a little kid.

We were all joking and giggling nervously as we waited for the ceremony to begin.

Noun

poking fun at the royal family is nothing new, but this movie comedy has a few giggles you haven't heard before

couldn't help but giggle at his remark

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

An uncontrollable laugh when tickled is vastly different from a polite laugh in a meeting, an infectious laugh during a movie, or a nervous little giggle after making a mistake. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 June 2026

Humans and great apes have been giggling in similar ways since branching off the evolutionary tree, a new study suggests. — ABC News, 25 June 2026

Noun

These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 June 2026

One highlight of this tenure was his descent into a fit of giggles while interviewing Carol Channing. — Mark Kennedy, Fortune, 15 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1509, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

circa 1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for giggle

• jiggle
• wiggle
• wriggle

Kids Definition

giggle

verb

gig·​gle

ˈgig-əl

giggled; giggling

-(ə-)liŋ

: to laugh with repeated short high sounds

giggle noun

giggly

-(ə-)lē

adjective