1
as in giggles
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
everyone laughed when the clown dramatically slipped and fell
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smiles
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
you're going to try out for the football team? Don't make me laugh!
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in chuckles
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
the child's frown turned into a laugh when he saw the clown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoots
someone or something that is very funny
that new sitcom is a laugh
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
the film comedy had a good laugh in just about every scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 laughs
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 11 May 2026
Well, perhaps that’s in the messaging of the people hosting the Met Ball [laughs].
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
This advertised butt jokes, campy fight montages and sinister Seth Rogen laughs.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
In one snap, the foursome laughs as Crown Prince Christian pretends to grab his younger brother's neck.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Reflecting on this moment, Mering laughs.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
Hayden, working the grill behind her husband, laughs and shakes her head with a slight eye roll the way only a loving wife can.
—Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
Henry takes in Link, who at this point is a teenager and laughs him off.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
How important to you is comedy and releasing tension with laughs?
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
For half-laughs as well as clarity, a lot of the mission’s step-by-step details appear on the screen, as wee notes scribbled right on top of the action.
—Michael Phillips, Variety, 16 May 2026
As sportswriter Raymond Barone, Romano kept the laughs coming through interactions with his overbearing parents and put-upon wife Debra.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Now, the Jim Queen crew can’t wait to take the film, the laughs and the party to Cannes.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
The first, earlier this afternoon was Jordan Firstman’s out-of-competition Club Kid, which got a lot of laughs and a 7-minute standing ovation.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 15 May 2026
The comment triggered knowing laughs and head nods around the ballroom, the kind that usually happens when people have grown resigned to a problem that feels permanent.
—Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Great star power from inside the building and awkward moments that made for good laughs.
—Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Verb
Moving on to more pleasant things [laughs].
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 11 May 2026
Well, perhaps that’s in the messaging of the people hosting the Met Ball [laughs].
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
This advertised butt jokes, campy fight montages and sinister Seth Rogen laughs.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
In one snap, the foursome laughs as Crown Prince Christian pretends to grab his younger brother's neck.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Reflecting on this moment, Mering laughs.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
Hayden, working the grill behind her husband, laughs and shakes her head with a slight eye roll the way only a loving wife can.
—Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
Henry takes in Link, who at this point is a teenager and laughs him off.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
How important to you is comedy and releasing tension with laughs?
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
For half-laughs as well as clarity, a lot of the mission’s step-by-step details appear on the screen, as wee notes scribbled right on top of the action.
—Michael Phillips, Variety, 16 May 2026
As sportswriter Raymond Barone, Romano kept the laughs coming through interactions with his overbearing parents and put-upon wife Debra.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Now, the Jim Queen crew can’t wait to take the film, the laughs and the party to Cannes.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
The first, earlier this afternoon was Jordan Firstman’s out-of-competition Club Kid, which got a lot of laughs and a 7-minute standing ovation.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 15 May 2026
The comment triggered knowing laughs and head nods around the ballroom, the kind that usually happens when people have grown resigned to a problem that feels permanent.
—Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Great star power from inside the building and awkward moments that made for good laughs.
—Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughs
Verb
-
Herbert then grabs Beer's face and pulls her in for a kiss as the singer giggles.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
-
The teaser video that followed showed a device straight out of a sci-fi film, something between Wall-E and BB-8, with a camera that giggles and swivels on command.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Seated at a desk, the girl smiles, then looks down and begins to write in a notebook.—
Toby Axelrod,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
Molly Gordon is all smiles onstage during her interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in New York City on May 7.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
And what begins as a clever, high-concept joke doesn’t always build beyond a steady stream of chuckles.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The line was met with one or two chuckles from the hearing room, which was at capacity.—
Kevin Breuninger,Jeff Cox,Alex Harring,Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Owl hoots are most effective at striking up turkeys when owls are naturally active, which is around dawn and dusk.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tom Brady, who was the victim of Netflix’s last celebrity roast in 2024, made a surprise appearance at Kevin Hart’s roast Sunday to launch a few jokes at the comedian before the night got underway.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Insults were par for the course at The Roast of Kevin Hart, but some jokes had more acid than others.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
With Chapman, the issue screams at you louder than the thumping, center field speakers in Chavez Ravine.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
One morning in 2013, before the sun had risen, Hiba and Ibrahim heard gunshots and screams.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile her old-school Communist grandmother sneers at the tactics her Red Diaper daughter employed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Attenborough grins, laughs and is speechless with delight.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
-
Wells, hidden in a tiny video-village setup inside one of the set’s curtained exam rooms, grins at the monitor and turns around to give Einesman a thumbs-up.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughs. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
