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
This show, which still prompts belly laughs from my daughter and me even after countless rewatches, meets and surpasses my mother’s bar.
—
Jean Garnett, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Serious belly laughs and nerve-racking moments arrive in equal measure; tonally, there’s nothing quite like it.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025
For over 50 years, it’s been the morning soundtrack of childhood, making its bright colors, belly laughs and sing-along tunes a cozy ritual for many.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
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
Jean Garnett, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Serious belly laughs and nerve-racking moments arrive in equal measure; tonally, there’s nothing quite like it.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025
For over 50 years, it’s been the morning soundtrack of childhood, making its bright colors, belly laughs and sing-along tunes a cozy ritual for many.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly laughs
Noun
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Even Saturday Night Live’s reigning king of smarm, Colin Jost, playing a henpecked husband, got some chuckles out of me.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
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And what begins as a clever, high-concept joke doesn’t always build beyond a steady stream of chuckles.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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One highlight of this tenure was his descent into a fit of giggles while interviewing Carol Channing.—
Mark Kennedy,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Yakkity’s impulsiveness and wisecracking jokes provide the laughs, while Keo’s rivalry with his father (and his crush on Lemony) ground the show with genuine emotional dynamics.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
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The fallout of that inquiry—to which Joe and Angela gamely acquiesce—generates its share of laughs, though our amusement comes at a cost.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 June 2026
Noun
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There were snickers from some of the other students, including a tall and lank-haired kid whose name Adele didn’t know.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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The event also had free opportunities to take photos, get ice cream snickers and have earned a Super Bowl post card.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated February 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belly laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20laughs. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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