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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chortle
Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 11 June 2023
When the book said that someone laughed, Miles offered the engineer a giggle, a chortle, and a cackle; when a character steepled their fingers, Miles did, too.
—Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2022
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
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
When the book said that someone laughed, Miles offered the engineer a giggle, a chortle, and a cackle; when a character steepled their fingers, Miles did, too.
—Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2022
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
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Jernigan wore business casual and spoke with understatement, sometimes punctuated by a rueful chuckle.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
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Last year’s offensive player of the year Saquon Barkley finished with 60 yards rushing, which garnered a chuckle out of him when learning he was beat out by Hurts.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Was he supposed to laugh at him and call him a loser?—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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The driver filmed the incident and laughed as an officer chased after him, court documents say.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Williams said, touching off laughter.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
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Her laughter and her soft voice way more brilliant.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The dogs react excitedly, their noses pushed against the glass and their tails wagging furiously, as their owner can be heard giggling behind the camera.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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The puns are enough to make even the grumpiest of reporters giggle.—
David Wysong,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 2025.
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