chortle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of chortlenext
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

chortle

2 of 2

verb

ˈchȯr-tᵊl How to pronounce chortle (audio)
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
The nightingale flew around the fox’s head, the two of them chortling in their own indiscernible ways. — Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025 Then, two sandhill cranes began chortling and calling to one another. — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chortle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chortle
  1. chuckle
  2. laugh
  3. laughter
  4. giggle
  5. snicker
Noun
  • There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • For one, our laughs sound different based on context — from a polite chuckle among colleagues to a full-bodied guffaw with close friends.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 June 2026
Definition of chuckle
Verb
  • As Morant laughed with Donovan Clingan and slapped Shaedon Sharpe on the knees, Brooks, one of his former teammates in Memphis, stopped to catch up.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • After following Thomson to the parking lot, Neil began rocking a van, as bystanders laughed and the hapless driver tried to extract his vehicle.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • The late-morning sun peeked through a gauzy veil of fog, bright laughter echoing over the giddy whisper of tulle as the brides posed for pictures outside the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • The atmosphere resembles a game show as much as a dating event, with laughter, applause and anticipation filling the room before the first pitch even begins.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
Definition of laughter
Verb
  • More than a decade older than some of her competitors, Ohashi can’t help but giggle at how circuitous her path has been.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • On a recent afternoon outside the temple in central Kerala, Raman stood motionless as two children played, giggling and hugging its trunk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of giggle
Noun
  • As is, this is a foolish thriller that prompts the occasional snicker but not much more.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • The grown-ups in the audience snicker.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Definition of snicker

Browse Nearby Words

chorography
chortle
chortled
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Cite this Entry

“Chortle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chortle. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of chortle for Spanish Speakers

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