laugh

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verb [intransitive] British English pronunciation: laugh

/lɑːf/

present tense
I/you/we/they	laugh
he/she/it	laughs
present participle	laughing
past tense	laughed
past participle	laughed

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Synonyms

1
to make the noise with your voice that shows you think something is funny
We talked and laughed late into the night.
laugh at:
The audience didn’t laugh at his jokes.
laugh about:
They were still laughing about the experience years later.
burst out laughing (=start laughing suddenly):
She burst out laughing when she saw what he was wearing.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
2
to show that you think someone or something is stupid or deserves no respect
When I told them my idea, they just laughed.
laugh in someone’s face:
If someone had told me this was going to happen, I would’ve laughed in their face.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh

phrases

be laughing
informal
to be in a very good situation, especially as a result of something that has happened
If this deal comes off as planned we’ll be laughing.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
don’t make me laugh
spoken
used for telling someone that you disagree with them or think that what they said is not possible or true
She said she made this herself? Don’t make me laugh!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
laugh all the way to the bank
informal
to make a lot of money easily
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
laugh someone/something out of court
if you laugh someone or something out of court, you show them that you think their ideas or suggestions are very silly
Anyone who made claims like that these days would be laughed out of court.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
laugh up your sleeve
to be secretly happy, especially because someone who you do not want to succeed has failed or made a mistake
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
no laughing matter
something that should be treated seriously
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
not know whether to laugh or cry
to feel confused and not know what to do when something bad happens, usually something unexpected
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
you have to laugh
spoken
or you’ve got to laugh spoken
used for saying that, although a situation may seem completely bad, you are able to find something funny about it
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh
you’ll be laughing on the other side of your face
spoken
used for telling someone that something is going to happen to stop them feeling so happy about a situation
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of laugh

phrasal verbs

Synonyms: laugh

giggle to laugh in a nervous or excited way, especially at something silly: Andy and Sarah were giggling helplessly at the back of the class.

chuckle to laugh quietly, especially in a private or secret way: ‘Now that was a sight to see!’ chuckled Anne as she looked at the photos.

cackle to laugh in a loud unpleasant way, especially when you are taking pleasure in someone else’s bad luck: The old man was cackling horribly and rubbing his hands.

snigger to laugh secretly and quietly, especially in an unkind way or at something that is rude: The children started sniggering at Judy’s dancing.

titter to laugh quietly and unkindly when something embarrassing happens: The audience tittered as Brock fell through the door.

get the giggles to start giggling and be unable to stop: We got the giggles in the middle of the ceremony and Sarah was furious.

be in hysterics/stitches to laugh in an excited and uncontrolled way: You should have seen his face – we were in absolute hysterics!

crack up (informal) to suddenly start laughing at something, often in a situation when you are not supposed to: When he told us to leave the room, we just cracked up, I’m afraid.

This is the British English definition of laugh. View American English definition of laugh.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

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laugh

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

phrases

be laughing

don’t make me laugh

laugh all the way to the bank

laugh someone/something out of court

laugh up your sleeve

no laughing matter

not know whether to laugh or cry

you have to laugh

or you’ve got to laugh spoken

you’ll be laughing on the other side of your face

phrasal verbs

showmance

Word of the Day

pumice

human-readable