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
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Recent Examples of laughs
José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
At 25 years old, Gerard laughs about becoming one of the veterans on Team USA and in the broader snowboarding community.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Simmons laughs when recalling the experience.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Lanning smiles and laughs a whole lot more than Cignetti, in public at least.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Everybody laughs and the tension is released.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
Liz Kihn, a stay-at-home mom from Pennsylvania, has seen videos of mothers waking up on Christmas morning to find their stockings empty while the rest of the family laughs it off.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
Son laughs, recalling that decision during an interview in his Tokyo penthouse office, which overlooks Edo-period gardens.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Affleck laughs and waits a beat.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2026
But the comedians also used those laughs to reveal the fundamental absurdity of violence and conflict.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
But behind all those laughs was a financial nightmare that almost derailed everything.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 7 Jan. 2026
Billed as a final chapter, the film is short on laughs and its romantic arc fails to convince, said Sight and Sound – but fans loved it, and many wept.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 4 Jan. 2026
Here's to a year of sights, eats, new and old friends, and more than a few laughs.
—Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
The Minions are a universally funny antidote to summer boredom, providing nonstop, easily digestible laughs for the whole family.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
However, their brief laughs quickly turned to concern as the huge bouncing ball barreled off its track and toward the audience.
—Cristian Santana, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Rudick brings the laughs to Mic Drop Comedy.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Verb
Nahmias turned 33 on January 7; and while many other Millennials—the generation of the overwhelmed and overstimulated—would show frustration with the noise, Nahmias laughs it off.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
At 25 years old, Gerard laughs about becoming one of the veterans on Team USA and in the broader snowboarding community.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Simmons laughs when recalling the experience.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Lanning smiles and laughs a whole lot more than Cignetti, in public at least.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Everybody laughs and the tension is released.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
Liz Kihn, a stay-at-home mom from Pennsylvania, has seen videos of mothers waking up on Christmas morning to find their stockings empty while the rest of the family laughs it off.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
Son laughs, recalling that decision during an interview in his Tokyo penthouse office, which overlooks Edo-period gardens.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Affleck laughs and waits a beat.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
Not all of the jokes work, but even the grumpiest theatergoers will find plenty of laughs.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2026
But the comedians also used those laughs to reveal the fundamental absurdity of violence and conflict.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
But behind all those laughs was a financial nightmare that almost derailed everything.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 7 Jan. 2026
Billed as a final chapter, the film is short on laughs and its romantic arc fails to convince, said Sight and Sound – but fans loved it, and many wept.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 4 Jan. 2026
Here's to a year of sights, eats, new and old friends, and more than a few laughs.
—Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
The Minions are a universally funny antidote to summer boredom, providing nonstop, easily digestible laughs for the whole family.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
However, their brief laughs quickly turned to concern as the huge bouncing ball barreled off its track and toward the audience.
—Cristian Santana, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Rudick brings the laughs to Mic Drop Comedy.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughs
Verb
-
Her daughter giggles as she's swung throughout the air, until Moore realizes that something isn't quite right.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 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
-
Throughout the compilation of clips, Kristy smiles and smolders in the mirror while using a bottle of the luxury brand's Libre Berry Crush perfume.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The cheerful doorman smiles warmly and helps you with your things.—
Forbes Travel Guide,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many of them are amusing enough to get chuckles and the odd big laugh but a little more wit amongst the throwaway put-downs would have been welcome.—
Richard Kuipers,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
That one got a big laugh out of Schmitt and a chuckles from his wife.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Cowboy and cowgirl hoots and hollers complement the rumbling of the massive animals’ hooves as they’re rounded up into the corrals.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Dec. 2025
-
There are hoots and hollers from raucous tourists on Bourbon Street, for example.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Williams plays his colleague Gaby, best friend to his dead wife and a ball of passion and dirty jokes.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
-
That’s a compliment, of course, as these are very, very funny jokes.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An emergency immigration hotline took a call from Delaney Hall in which the operator heard screams in the background.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Nothing screams 2016 quite like the flower crown, and Eva Longoria served face in this flawless selfie.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 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
-
Ryan grins down, then kisses him.—
Natalia Winkelman,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
-
This was an emotional and physical meat grinder of a contest, though the first-year Hornets mentor was all grins afterward.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughs. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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