as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
the joke provoked a sudden chortle from a bystander
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chortle
Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
So many laurels hung around one’s neck can easily become heavy, but Mitchell has welcomed all of this fanfare with an amused lightness — a shimmy, a chortle and a fresh round of pinot grigio.
—Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 11 June 2023
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
But to chortle with a murderous, anti-American dictator over a former vice president . .
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Noun
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
So many laurels hung around one’s neck can easily become heavy, but Mitchell has welcomed all of this fanfare with an amused lightness — a shimmy, a chortle and a fresh round of pinot grigio.
—Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 11 June 2023
Verb
This will also make small-government types chortle over the notion that Trump is actually one of them.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
But to chortle with a murderous, anti-American dictator over a former vice president . .
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chortle
Noun
-
Gregory wondered out loud with a chuckle.—
NPR,
NPR,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Sending up the no-stakes frivolity of progressive Reform Judaism, characters played by Seth Rogen and Kate Berlant get some insight-free chuckles.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their enthusiasm for muddy adventures and water play is almost unmatched, often leaving their owners laughing, and, in this case, reaching for the hose.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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Byrne and Gaonkar stopped by the after-party, shook some hands, laughed, drank rosé from plastic cups.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Hovering over his shoulder, Rhea Seehorn bursts into laughter.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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Speakers at the opening event remembered Nick as a positive person who brought laughter and light into the lives of others.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The footage shows Juniper wearing a brown dress and looking glum while her sisters giggle around her.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
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The Duchess of Sussex panned the camera past a candle from As ever's holiday product drop (one of the two candles was inspired by her royal wedding to Prince Harry), giggled and showed her two rescue dogs.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Early never makes fun of Maddie, never lets the audience snicker at the screen.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
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The carnage leads to a sigh of an epilogue that seems, without giving anything away, like a curious letdown, a cruel little snicker from Aster that doesn’t entirely satisfy.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chortle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chortle. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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