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
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
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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Many of them are amusing enough to get chuckles and the odd big laugh but a little more wit amongst the throwaway put-downs would have been welcome.—
Richard Kuipers,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
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That one got a big laugh out of Schmitt and a chuckles from his wife.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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On Tuesday morning, the Oscar winner ended her Today interview with host Craig Melvin in giggles after making a simple mistake, confusing one TV network for another.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
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Your personality shines and your giggles are so contagious.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
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There were a couple of unexpected wipeouts, including one by David Pastrnak, that elicited laughs from teammates.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
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The movie’s biggest laughs come from Kevin’s hijinks, which involve setting up complex booby traps to fend off a pair of burglars targeting his family’s home.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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While there were a few snickers, the photographers obliged and got their photos.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belly laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20laughs. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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