laughter

noun

ˈlaf-tər How to pronounce laughter (audio)
Definition of laughternext
as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement the nervous producers were reassured by the sounds of laughter coming from the theater

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 laughter There’s a lot of laughter, as Violet and her best friend Persia (the daughter of new wave icon Gary Numan) rattle off inside jokes in fake British accents. — Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 6 July 2026 There was applause and laughter, then the Pledge of Allegiance. — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 He’s long delved into the dark corners of his lived and theoretical experience, pushing toward sticky, disquieting ideas that sent ripples of nervous laughter through a crowd unable to reject his reasoning. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 June 2026 Pls take manhood seriously, approach it with care, responsibility, character, dignity, humility and make room for laughter. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for laughter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughter
  1. chuckle
  2. giggle
  3. laugh
  4. snicker
Noun
  • There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • For one, our laughs sound different based on context — from a polite chuckle among colleagues to a full-bodied guffaw with close friends.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 June 2026
Definition of chuckle
Noun
  • Keira Knightley is all giggles at day 12 of the 2026 Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on July 10.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
  • Admittedly, Carmy is not exactly a bucket of giggles in this episode, or, really, in any episode.
    — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of giggle
Noun
  • At Balenciaga, where Pierpaolo Piccioli made his debut with bubble silhouettes that reference an iconic dress by the house founder and chez Jean Paul Gaultier, Duran Lantink had the last laugh—as an enfant terrible is wont to do.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 10 July 2026
  • There are genuine laughs sprinkled in but too many elements land with a thud — including an excessive amount of comedic gore that grows tiresome and a mailman/narrator gag that just isn’t funny.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • The grown-ups in the audience snicker.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 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 snicker

Browse Nearby Words

laughs off
laughter
laughters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laughter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughter. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on laughter

Nglish: Translation of laughter for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about laughter

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