laughing 1 of 3

Definition of laughingnext
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
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 Keith moved into the center of the balcony, posing and laughing. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026 There was none of the usual laughing and joking. Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Mar. 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 The laughing and stuff wasn’t written into it. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Iron Man star then burst out laughing. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026 Alon responded with laughing emojis. Miami Herald, 19 May 2026 Video surveillance shows Santos and the other crew member laughing about the incident. Drew Pittock, USA Today, 18 May 2026 Netflix‘s Big Mistakes not only had audiences laughing but also the cast and crew during filming, especially Dan Levy and the Miami drug scene. Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 Cyborg and Rousey have exchanged nasty words over the years, so the laughing emojis was mild, all things considered. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 The two have grown close as a regular double-play duo, constantly joking and laughing together in the clubhouse and on the field. Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Incredibly, everyone except the blond kid was laughing. Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026 The next morning, the pair are chatting and laughing. Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughing
Adjective
  • The picture’s eclectic cast, which included Anouk Aimée, Greta Scacchi and Maximilian Schell (with cameos by Faye Dunaway, Holly Hunter and Jeff Goldblum), swirled its merry way across the grand event in search of romance, fame and the ever-elusive movie deal.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • But in the cycling ecosystem, the Rockets are still minnows, a bunch of merry men with a camera — up against teams funded by international business conglomerates and nation states.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Karen Jesch, a PhD student at Boston College’s Canine Cognition Center, points out that human smiling is a strange behavior to begin with, and not always a happy one.
    Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 14 May 2026
  • There was a lot of nervous smiling.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Families with mothers in hijabs and giggling children sit alongside the neighborhood’s old guard and young transplants priced out of Brooklyn’s north, all feasting on great wheels of rashoosh (flatbread) and dishevelments of lamb.
    Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • On the chaise side of the sectional, Fiona and Izzy were giggling under a blanket, playing a makeover game on Fiona’s phone.
    Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • Newman’s God is laughing at our prayers, sneering at our cries for help.
    Time, Time, 6 May 2026
  • But there’s also a kind of sneering conventional wisdom toward Vance that doesn’t seem to have much basis in political reality.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Fishing boats sat docked along the pier, bouncing on top of the water like a row of jolly babies.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • The neighborhood Neighboring St Moritz was adopted in the 19th century by all those jolly-hockey-stick Brits, who introduced skiing and tobogganing, but little Sils Maria has always been more cerebral.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Baffert watched it all on his laptop from California, chuckling as the board showing the horse’s price flaked out momentarily.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
  • Flying cows, fiddle-playing cats, and chuckling retrievers inhabit the space between ornate columns.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • For a splash of color, accessorize with Neous’s cherry-red heeled sandals and Etro’s festive beaded bag.
    Laura Jackson, Vogue, 14 May 2026
  • The atmosphere is festive, the music lively, and the service on point.
    Essence, Essence, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Her father and cousin had come looking for her, and were screaming outside.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
  • Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong let a rival fan have it during a heated, NSFW screaming match on Sunday, playing the White Sox.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Laughing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughing. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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