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
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2011
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
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 May 2024
Her son had often suggested that the Investigative Committee investigate itself and chortled at the absurdity.
—Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Noun
The comment evoked a chortle from Prasher, whose typical manner combines irony and earthiness.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2011
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
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
Her son had often suggested that the Investigative Committee investigate itself and chortled at the absurdity.
—Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for chortle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chortle
Verb
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What if automatic password hacking machines laugh in the face of your security efforts?—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
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Are the locals quietly laughing at us behind our backs?—
James Fallon,
Footwear News,
24 May 2025
Noun
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There’s an art to transforming the worst days of your life into causes for laughter.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
21 May 2025
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Gillis then fails to pull down Hernandez's pants, prompting Sherman, Hernandez, and himself to burst into laughter.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Not just on the training pitch but in the dorm rooms, talking about the future and giggling at stupid jokes.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
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Nearby, children giggle while eating from mango jars.—
John Okot,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 May 2025
Noun
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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
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So he must be placed in the Apparition section, next to ghosts like John Barron, sharing a snicker with Ivana.—
Greg Marotta,
New York Daily News,
12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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There’s a touch of whimsy to this cottage-style residence in Reisterstown, as though the builder chuckled all through its construction on a quiet cul-de-sac near Liberty Reservoir.—
Mike Klingaman,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2025
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Fans all over the stadium instantly responded with more enthusiasm and volume while others chuckled at the callout.—
Caché McClay,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chortle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chortle. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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