In writing this, we hope you enjoy the topic of the article and have a great time sharing many laughs with wonderful people. To make these moments even more enjoyable, we’ve compiled a list of fun and fascinating terms, including both synonyms for the verb “laugh” and idioms related to laughter. Read on and enjoy!

Laughter vs. Laugh

Both “laugh” and “laughter” refer to the act (1) or sound (2, 3) of laughing. However, “laughter” is generally used for the broader concept, while “laugh” typically refers to a single instance. Additionally, “laugh” has some other meanings: an occasion (4) or thing (5) that is good fun (in informal English), and a person (6) who is enjoyable to be with. Examples:

1. Increasing the frequency of laughter might reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. (act; broader concept)
2. She could hear the distant laughter of children playing in the park. (sound)
3. His laugh was contagious. (sound)
4. We hope you share many laughs with wonderful people. (occasion)
5. This game is a real laugh; it’s incredibly fun and always gets everyone in a good mood with its entertaining challenges and hilarious moments. (thing)
6. You’ll love hanging out with Jenny; she’s such a laugh—there’s never a dull moment with her around. (person)

Fun vs. Funny

While we’re on the topic, let’s clarify the difference between the adjectives “fun” and “funny.” If someone or something is “funny,” they make you laugh (1 & 2). If someone or something is “fun,” they are enjoyable to do or to be with because of the great time you can have together (3 & 4). Examples:

1. The comedian is so funny!
2. She has a funny laugh that always makes everyone else start laughing too.
3. Jessica is such a fun person to be around – she’s always up for an adventure.
4. Playing board games with friends is always so fun.

Synonyms for Laugh

Noun & Verb	Definition	Examples
giggle /ˈɡɪɡl/; to giggle	a light, high-pitched laugh, often from nervousness or playfulness	1) They giggled nervously as they waited for their turn. 2) The children began to giggle uncontrollably during the teacher’s funny story.
chuckle /ˈtʃʌkl/; to chuckle	a quiet or suppressed laugh, usually expressing mild amusement	1) He chuckled at the thought of the two of them stuck in the snow. 2) He couldn’t help but chuckle when he remembered the prank they pulled last year.
guffaw /ɡəˈfɔː/; to guffaw	a loud and hearty laugh, often unrestrained	1) She let out a loud guffaw. 2) When the comedian delivered the punchline, the entire audience erupted in a loud guffaw.
snicker /ˈsnɪkər/; to snicker	a half-suppressed, sly laugh, often suggesting mischief or mockery	1) When Jane accidentally spilled coffee on her presentation notes, she could hear a few people snicker from the back of the room. 2) She tried to hide her snicker when she saw her friend trip over the rug.
titter /ˈtɪtər/; to titter	a short, nervous laugh, often from discomfort or embarrassment	1) There was an embarrassing pause on stage and the audience began to titter. 2) The awkward silence was broken by a few titters from the back of the room.
cackle /ˈkækl/; to cackle	a loud unpleasant laugh	1) As the witch in the Halloween play delivered her lines, she let out a spine-chilling cackle that sent shivers down everyone’s spines. 2) The villain’s cackle echoed through the dark chamber as he revealed his evil plan.
roar /rɔːr/; to roar (+ roar with laughter)	a deep, loud laugh, often uncontrollable and full of energy	1) He looked so funny, we all roared (with laughter). 2) His joke was so hilarious that it made the whole group roar with laughter.
chortle /ˈtʃɔːrtl/; to chortle	an act of laughing loudly with pleasure	1) Gill chortled with delight. 2) She let out a satisfied chortle when she solved the tricky puzzle.
howl /haʊl/; to howl	a prolonged, loud laugh, often indicating extreme amusement	1) The suggestion was greeted with howls of laughter. 2) The comedian had the audience howling with laughter by the end of his set.

Useful collocations from the table 🧩

1. to giggle nervously / uncontrollably
2. to chuckle at the thought of
3. to pull a prank
4. can’t help but chuckle (check out our post on can’t help constructions here)
5. to let out a guffaw / cackle / chortle
6. to erupt in a guffaw
7. spine-chilling cackle
8. to chortle with delight
9. a satisfied chortle

Practice

Exercise 1. Click the link here and unscramble the words to complete the sentences.

Idioms Related to Laughter

Idiom	Meaning	Example
to laugh one’s head off	to laugh very hard	I was laughing my head off at the comedy show; it was the funniest thing I’ve seen in years.
in stitches	laughing so hard that it feels like being in physical pain	The kids were in stitches after hearing the hilarious story.
to laugh all the way to the bank	to benefit financially from something, often in a way that seems unexpected or excessive	The inventor will laugh all the way to the bank after his new gadget becomes a huge hit.
to split one’s sides	to laugh one’s head off	The entire audience was splitting their sides during the comedian’s performance.
to laugh like a drain	to laugh loudly and unpleasantly	He laughed like a drain at his own joke, which made everyone else uncomfortable.
a barrel of laughs	someone or something that is very amusing	The party was a barrel of laughs, with everyone enjoying the games and jokes.
to laugh at someone’s expense	to laugh about something that causes embarrassment or discomfort for someone else	It’s not nice to laugh at someone’s expense just because they made a mistake.
laughing stock	someone who is the object of ridicule or mockery	After his embarrassing mistake on live TV, he became the laughing stock of the office.
to laugh up one’s sleeve	to laugh secretly or privately, often at someone else’s expense	She was laughing up her sleeve when her rival stumbled during the presentation.
to laugh to keep from crying	to use humor as a way to cope with sadness or distress	After the series of unfortunate events, she tried to laugh to keep from crying.

Practice

Exercise 2. Click the link here and put the words in the correct places in the sentences.

What was the last thing that had you in stitches? Have you ever laughed to keep from crying? What is a barrel of laughs for you? To practice the idioms further, share your answers in the comments below using the vocabulary from this article. 😉