giggle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gigglenext
1
as in laugh
chiefly British something said or done to cause laughter poking fun at the royal family is nothing new, but this movie comedy has a few giggles you haven't heard before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement couldn't help but giggle at his remark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

giggle

2 of 2

verb

ˈgi-gəl How to pronounce giggle (audio)
as in to laugh
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound some audience members thought that they were being clever by giggling during the serious scenes

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 giggle
Noun
One highlight of this tenure was his descent into a fit of giggles while interviewing Carol Channing. — Mark Kennedy, Fortune, 15 June 2026 One highlight of this tenure was his descent into a fit of giggles while interviewing Carol Channing. — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
Verb
Willis sang as their children—14-year-old Mabel Ray and 12-year-old Evelyn Penn—giggled in the background. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 18 June 2026 This episode is hilarious, but it’s been so ruthlessly hacked down to giggle moments and ironic smash-cuts that important action and context are missing. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for giggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for giggle
  1. laugh
  2. chuckle
  3. joke
  4. laughter
  5. joking
  6. snicker
Noun
  • Resplendent in a dark top and flowered scarves, Jackie has his hair ratted out, creating a kind of nimbus around his poignant, ready-to-laugh face, which is powdered white, with shiny, metallic-looking paillettes around the eyes.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • The dialogue, meanwhile, is played hilariously straight — good luck finding a laugh among these uncharted stars — and often consists of someone shouting another character's name.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • And while most of the film is unrelentingly grim, its few stabs at dark humor — most notably the punchlines about the grandmother’s faulty memory — didn’t garner a chuckle from me.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of chuckle
Noun
  • Nathan thinks Joe is teasing him about his cleanliness, and jokes back that Joe hasn’t changed his sheets, either.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • The jokes about a modern couple trapped in a magical town stuck more than 200 years in the past hit the mark with just the right amount of bawdy fun.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of joke
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
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking
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

gigging
giggle
giggled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Giggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/giggle. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on giggle

Nglish: Translation of giggle for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All