guffaws 1 of 2

noun

plural of guffaw
as in chuckles
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement managed to keep a straight face for a minute before he let loose with a loud guffaw

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

guffaws

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of guffaw
as in giggles

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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 guffaws
Noun
Also — please pause for my guffaws — Alabama is the bandwagon choice for the SEC. — Chris Branch, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 The editor could just add a laugh in postproduction, from polite titters to hearty guffaws. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Aug. 2026 There were waves of guffaws and, also, supportive finger-snapping. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026 Expect guffaws, and bring tissues. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026 But both episodes so far have gotten a few killer guffaws out of me. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026 So, after the sombrero drew hearty guffaws, my friend Jim busied himself finding monuments to chip-and-dip tastelessness. — Lee Michael Katz, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025 This was the first year in recent memory where none of the nominees in the big four categories set off a hearty round of guffaws across my various chats and social media feeds. — Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025 Everybody behind the camera could barely hold back the guffaws. — Cameron Crowe, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guffaws
  1. chuckles
  2. giggles
  3. laughs
  4. chortles
  5. snickers
  6. cackles
Noun
  • Toward the end of the panel, Buttimer noted that Connaughton would have wanted to argue with each speaker, drawing chuckles from the audience.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Wickersham says, with only the slightest of chuckles, that every quarterback is something of a sociopath and likens them to politicians in the middle of a race.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of chuckles
Verb
  • But Alexca, a bubbly toddler who giggles and runs about, has conquered her grandmother’s heart.
    — Julie Watson, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • Herbert then grabs Beer's face and pulls her in for a kiss as the singer giggles.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026
Definition of giggles
Noun
  • According to the rules of the game, Joker can only give his team members hints while the rest of the class watches and laughs at their stumbles.
    — Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Pledging love and respecting someone or a relationship can make people feel so uncomfortable that leaning into these tropes of life can feel humorous, and that’s where the laughs from a Hallmark film come from.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of laughs
Verb
  • His cutlery’s subtly unusual proportions manage to be elegant and playful at the same time, like that perfect joke that lands gracefully at a cocktail party, where everyone laughs and nobody chortles.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The blackbird really chortles away.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of chortles
Noun
  • As executed, the 2019 show is an emotional yet refreshingly unsentimental black comedy that snickers in the face of empowerment buzzwords like, well, healing journey.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • There were snickers from some of the other students, including a tall and lank-haired kid whose name Adele didn’t know.
    — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of snickers
Verb
  • Aegon cackles with glee as Tyland ducks to the ground and his enemies snap, crackle, pop in the night.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • SpongeBob cackles on a television lodged behind shatterproof glass.
    — Ashley Andreou, STAT, 22 June 2026
Definition of cackles

Browse Nearby Words

guffawing
guffaws
guggle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guffaws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guffaws. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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