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
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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
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Bush are flops that remain well worth a chuckle.—
Will Leitch,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Madigan says of the fan theory, laughing.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Oct. 2025
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In a viral Reddit post, a dog owner revealed what her golden retriever did after breaking into their neighbors’ home, and internet users can’t stop laughing.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There was always a warmness, there was always a laughter, there was always a family feel.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Viewers couldn’t get enough of the adorable nighttime ritual, which quickly turned into a wholesome comment thread filled with laughter and relatability.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The carousel kicked off with a photo of the pair sitting at a table as Gomez giggled at the camera.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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And the tow truck went flying through the air as both boys giggled.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
19 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 4 Nov. 2025.
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