as in laughing
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
audiences might chortle gently during the movie's amusing bits, but there are few knee-slappers
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Recent Examples of chortling
The nightingale flew around the fox’s head, the two of them chortling in their own indiscernible ways.
—
Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Against all of this allegedly heady stuff, the score—by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—intentionally jars us from encroaching drowsiness with chortling woodwinds and shardlike piano chords that are the aural equivalent of jagged Plexiglass off-cuts.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Against all of this allegedly heady stuff, the score—by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—intentionally jars us from encroaching drowsiness with chortling woodwinds and shardlike piano chords that are the aural equivalent of jagged Plexiglass off-cuts.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chortling
Verb
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Jamaica born About a hundred people gathered to lay Wilson to rest, singing, crying and laughing while remembering his kind heart, his hard work and his famous barbecue ribs and chicken wings.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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Airline customers aren’t laughing, at least right now.—
John Seewer,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His portrayal of academic life will leave real professors wincing, if not giggling … Despite the obvious research that Martel put into his novel, there are too many gaffes about Homer and Greek epic to persuade any expert.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
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Its wicked sense of humor had spectators giggling throughout all three episodes, only to then break their hearts a little.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In early February, Raphael Bostic sat on a stage chuckling, and a bit embarrassed, while his predecessor handed him a pair of gifts.—
Mirtha Donastorg,
AJC.com,
27 Feb. 2026
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In the front of the bus, Kilgo first started chuckling softly.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Authorities say Valdez had multiple untreated mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, and that he had been seen in Concord earlier in the day screaming at cars.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic's personal space.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chortling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chortling. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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