We use the word ‘laugh’ commonly in English, yet there are many other different words you can use instead to be more specific and make your writing more interesting.
Here are some synonyms for ‘laugh’ when used as a verb:
be in stitches(informal)
The audience was in stitches when the clown came on.
chortle
He chortled quietly to himself.
chuckle
Jojo chuckled at the thought of her brother covered in mud.
crease up(informal)
Mum creased up when she first saw Dad in his long shorts.
giggle
As usual, the twins were giggling at the back of the class.
guffaw
The colonel guffawed loudly during the performance.
snigger
I sniggered when my brother fell.
titter
She tittered weakly at the joke.
Many of these synonyms can also be used when ‘laugh’ is used as a noun:
chuckle
We could hardly suppress our chuckles.
giggle
My sister has an infectious giggle.
guffaw
The professor let out a guffaw at the student’s remark.
roar of laughter
You could hear the roar of laughter from outside the theatre.
shriek of laughter
As soon as he came in, there was a shriek of laughter from the kids.
snigger
Karim was having a quiet snigger at the back of the class.
titter
The girl gave a titter of embarrassment when she saw me.
Look at the Thesaurus entry for laugh to find other synonyms and examples.
All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.
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