as in laughing
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
everyone dutifully chuckled at the professor's intended jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in smiling
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chuckling
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2025
During the team’s media day on Monday, Yang spoke some English but in mid-sentence would revert back to Chinese, producing a mix of English and Chinese that leaves the affable 7-footer chuckling at himself.
—Jason Quick, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
So Cali sucked her teeth, chuckling.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
Forbes walked away chuckling to himself.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Flacco spent most of his postgame interview chuckling about the unpredictable last 10 days that have landed him back in the NFL's spotlight in his 18th season.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2025
During the team’s media day on Monday, Yang spoke some English but in mid-sentence would revert back to Chinese, producing a mix of English and Chinese that leaves the affable 7-footer chuckling at himself.
—Jason Quick, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
So Cali sucked her teeth, chuckling.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
Forbes walked away chuckling to himself.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chuckling
Verb
-
Makai was then breathing normally and laughing, but proceeded to throw up again, Rodriguez said.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
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The Instagram post showed the group laughing and posing while shooting on a marsh outside Charleston.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As Thomas’ parents, Katina Smith and Bobby Thomas, unveiled their son’s smiling statue in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Plaza last Sunday, as scores of his former teammates looked on in sadness and joy, Miller was 800 miles away in Dallas, gearing up for a game against the Cowboys.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
DeGeneres and de Rossi can be heard giggling as their two dogs chase each other around the space.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Beyond them, there are plenty of cases of mysterious footsteps, giggling invisible children and unexplained green orbs appearing in photos.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Paired with a comedic audio, the clip has been liked by over 188,000 TikTok users, prompting an outpouring of amused comments on the platform.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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But it's so often used to mean amused, some dictionaries now include that meaning.—
Kathy and Ross Petrass,
CNBC,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Haim managed to put on a show that felt about 95% mirthful while still honoring the integrity of the new songs that dig emotionally deeper.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The film’s whimsical marketing campaign has focused on Tatum’s gleeful roller-skating and dancing in that bastion of ’90s consumerism, but Roofman itself is a slippier thing.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 Oct. 2025
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Meanwhile, the commentariat at large has taken them as license to indulge in unchecked, gleeful misogyny.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Hornets for all of their intense in-game play are often a jovial lot.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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In another vignette, Swift is part of a Supremes-like girl group entertaining a speakeasy full of jovial patrons.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chuckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chuckling. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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