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
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
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
So skeptics may chortle at do-gooder liberals’ NIMBY uproar as being hoisted on their own petards, so to speak.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 May 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
But to chortle with a murderous, anti-American dictator over a former vice president . .
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
So skeptics may chortle at do-gooder liberals’ NIMBY uproar as being hoisted on their own petards, so to speak.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chortle
Noun
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His friends respond with knowing chuckles.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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The humor is clever and sharp, with a half-dozen jokes per half-hour guaranteed to elicit a chuckle or more.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 Aug. 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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Characters new and old navigate the waters of Sacred Heart with laughter, heart and some surprises along the way.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Sep. 2025
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On this ride, the tears are just as valuable as the laughter.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The puns are enough to make even the grumpiest of reporters giggle.—
David Wysong,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
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The singer also added clips of the women giggling with each other over meals at the villa and out for dinner at restaurants.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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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
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League sources stifle their snickers in public while privately marveling at the owner’s ceaseless stupidity. 3.—
Jeff Howe,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chortle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chortle. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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