laughing 1 of 3

as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor the satisfying comedy put us in a laughing mood for the rest of the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

laughing

2 of 3

noun

laughing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of laugh

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 laughing
Noun
The thought of coworkers open-mouthed laughing is enough to jar anyone awake. Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 24 July 2026 A lot of shouting, a lot of laughing, a lot of talk. Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 June 2026 Keith moved into the center of the balcony, posing and laughing. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 19 June 2026 Mira and two friends moved to a low wall and huddled around their own smartwatches, whispering and laughing. Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 The laughing becomes infectious. Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026 Belt It Out at Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar If your idea of a great date involves a little chaos, a lot of laughing, and maybe a surprisingly decent duet, Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar is calling your name. Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026 The former competitive cheerleader said the laughing was an act of misogyny. Jay Stahl, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026 Harbour and Brown arrived together on the red carpet for the premiere of the latest season and were captured on camera laughing, hugging each other and posing for photos. Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
Camp’s turn here as a kooky neighbor who stumbles into an unexpected romance is exactly the kind of role that gets a room talking (and laughing). Clayton Davis, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026 The South wasn't in a laughing mood after the Civil War, so silent film star and comedian Buster Keaton went west. Brian Bull, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026 Roughly 450 users reacted with likes or hearts, while about 480 responded with laughing emojis, underscoring the divided response. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Video captured by The Hollywood Reporter and shared to social media showed Malkovich and Rockwell chatting and laughing amid the ongoing applause. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 The two ended up walking away laughing, and Luiz’s grin rode right into the next conversation, drill or interaction with anyone on the field. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 As Buddy Crane, a buffoonish, overconfident opposing counsel who works in house for Acme, John Cena relishes his role just as much as Buddy relishes laughing at Kevin. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 And for us, that meant falling in love with her music and laughing at her wit along the way. Corey Dubrowa, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 Related In one clip, she and Turner can be seen laughing together as the singer makes a basketball shot, while other photos show the couple spending time immersed in lush flower fields. Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughing
Adjective
  • The hotel itself is staffed by a small but merry cadre of Lost Boys whose endearing mix of irreverence and can-doism gives the hotel its cool, devil-may-care personality.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Rounding up his merry men of Sherwood Forest, and his Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland), Robin goes about resisting John’s rule and securing Richard’s throne.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In the post, De Laurentiis shared an image of Jade, 18, sitting on her dorm bed holding Radiohead’s In Rainbows record and smiling.
    Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The boos were more scattered and barely audible amidst the applause and cheers, which grew louder when the ballpark’s video boards showed the 2018 champ smiling, clapping, and waving from the visitors’ dugout.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the video, Hilton’s 3-year-old son Phoenix can be seen giggling as the puppy playfully chases him around the room while 2-year-old sister London looks on.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Everyone is giggling about his vocabulary, but they’re still charmed.
    Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • If traditional noir drew much of its energy from sneering with style at America’s sunny master narratives, those narratives have largely broken down, as has the homogenous mass-media ecosystem that endlessly recirculated them.
    Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But the Velvets were sneering at the false dichotomy between those things back in the ’60s.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Adjective
  • Both his suggestion and the jolly appreciation seem out of tune with the situation ‘far from home’, which may be a military manoeuvre involving mock battles and bayonet practice, or a preparation for actual combat.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This plush captures its jolly mood with a big smile and a grinning sun across its belly (complete with sunglasses).
    Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Cubs pitcher David Peterson was coming out of the bullpen to pitch in the eighth inning after the fight took place, and the umpires were chuckling.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In a New York Times interview, producer Tyran Donaldson, who has also worked with SZA, recalled chuckling at listening to the Diamonds work with the instrument.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026
Adjective
  • Positioned as a collector’s release, the capsule is timed to land just ahead of the festive season, targeting Christmas morning, family portraits and holiday weekends.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Thousands of union workers, their family members and supporters marched through the streets of industrial Wilmington on Monday, taking part in a Labor Day parade whose festive mood overshadowed their serious concerns about the future.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • By the time the rock legends arrived, the black carpet was empty, aside from the herd of photographers and screaming fans.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Within seconds, protesters swarmed among the agents, screaming and holding their cellphones aloft.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Laughing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughing. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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