as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
the joke provoked a sudden chortle from a bystander
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to laugh
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
audiences might chortle gently during the movie's amusing bits, but there are few knee-slappers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chortle
Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 May 2025
On the 101 in my bumper-car Prius, there’s one billboard that invariably gets a chortle out of me.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
There were no knowing winks to the camera, no pause for an unseen audience to chortle at Stan's misfortune.
—Chris McMullen, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Noun
Yoda made a slight sound of dissatisfaction, a grumbling chortle.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 May 2025
On the 101 in my bumper-car Prius, there’s one billboard that invariably gets a chortle out of me.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
Against all of this allegedly heady stuff, the score—by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—intentionally jars us from encroaching drowsiness with chortling woodwinds and shardlike piano chords that are the aural equivalent of jagged Plexiglass off-cuts.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
There were no knowing winks to the camera, no pause for an unseen audience to chortle at Stan's misfortune.
—Chris McMullen, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chortle
Noun
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The image of an officer peering into the empty driver’s seat of the offending vehicle may have been good for a chuckle, but other incidents have been no laughing matter.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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After a chuckle, someone asked what the doctor’s diagnosis had been.—
Rebecca Edmisten,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In a behind-the-scenes shot by Alex Bramall, Princess Charlotte is seen sitting in front of Eugenie, laughing so hard her eyes are squeezed shut.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
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Godfrey laughed when thinking about that moment.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Miriam swayed, shoulders shaking with laughter at a joke nobody else could hear.—
‘Pemi Aguda,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
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But laughter was never the whole story.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Casting sexy, hunky Sharpe as Mozart — quite in contrast to the movie’s Tom Hulce, with his Harpo Marx energy and strange explosive giggle — signals that this is meant to be a Serious Take on the material.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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On the chaise side of the sectional, Fiona and Izzy were giggling under a blanket, playing a makeover game on Fiona’s phone.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
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The dialogue is overladen with snicker-worthy cliches, a swelling, melodramatic soundtrack that doesn’t match the mood, dubious cameos and plastic, perfunctory life-affirming quotes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 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
“Chortle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chortle. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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