as in chuckles
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
humorous anecdotes that are likely to evoke lots of smiles but few belly laughs
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Recent Examples of belly laughs
Kids need to have belly laughs and almost pee their pants when reading—which is something that few other authors besides Seuss can do without invoking potty humor.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly laughs
Noun
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LaKeith Stanfield is an easy standout as Parker’s best friend Grofield, a passionate actor who moonlights as a criminal to fund his dead-end theater company — some of the movie’s heartiest chuckles come from the joy Grofield takes in getting to ham things up as part of the heist.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
30 Sep. 2025
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But places that earn chuckles could be getting gasps and guffaws; moments that feel generally meditative could be devastating, if Lloyd were more interested in character work and less in mise en scène.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Set appropriately inside the creepy, abandoned Sears department store, the carnival includes a bunch of ways to get your kicks, giggles and jump scares.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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Many movies tried to recreate its magic mixture, including some of its own sequels, but few achieved the merry concoction of frights, gore, and giggles that Craven handled so masterfully.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Here are the teams that will freak out as the rest of baseball points and laughs.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Though the subject matter of the show is serious, the women share plenty of laughs when the cameras aren’t rolling.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belly laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20laughs. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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