laugh
laugh — verb
1. to breathe out quickly through your open mouth, often while showing your teeth i
to breathe out quickly through your open mouth, often while showing your teeth in a smile, because you find something amusing or you feel happy
Ritu laughed so hard at the film that tears ran down her cheeks.
laugh + intensifier 'so hard that'
When Christopher told his joke, everyone in the room laughed out loud.
laugh out loud — common fixed phrase
The baby laughed every time Quan made a silly face at her.
Tariro could not stop laughing when she saw the puppy chasing its tail.
could not stop + -ing form for continuous laughter
Arjun tripped over the microphone wire, laughed at himself, and carried on with his speech.
- laugh loudly
- laugh nervously
- laugh at
- laugh about
- make someone laugh
- burst out laughing
Grammar Patterns
laugh at [something/someone]
laugh about [something]
laugh at [joke/story]
Usage Note
Intransitive only — you cannot directly 'laugh something' as an object. To name the cause, use at or about: 'laugh at a joke', 'laugh about a mistake'. If you want to describe the type of laughter, use adverbs: laugh nervously, laugh loudly, laugh quietly.
Common Mistakes
laugh at
phrasal verbTo make fun of someone or something, or to show amusement.
The kids laughed at the clown's silly hat.
Don't laugh at her accent; it's not polite.
laugh off
phrasal verbTo treat something as not serious by laughing about it.
He tried to laugh off the criticism, but it hurt.
She laughed off the mistake and continued her speech.
die laughing
idiomTo find something so funny that you cannot stop laughing.
When Maya told the joke, I nearly died laughing.
Did you see that comedy show? I died laughing.
don’t make me laugh
idiomUsed to express that you think what someone said is ridiculous or impossible.
‘He said he’ll finish the project today.’ ‘Don’t make me laugh!’
You think she’ll apologize? Don’t make me laugh.
A warning not to be too confident about your success because someone else may end up more successful.
He gloated about winning, but he who laughs last laughs longest.
Remember, he who laughs last laughs longest, so stay humble.
To laugh very hard and for a long time.
Diego was killing himself laughing at the puppy's antics.
We killed ourselves laughing during the improv show.
To make a lot of money easily and feel very pleased about it.
After selling his app, he laughed all the way to the bank.
She invested wisely and now laughs all the way to the bank.
laugh your head off
idiomTo laugh very loudly and for a long time.
The comedian had the audience laughing their heads off.
We laughed our heads off at the silly movie.
To show clear disrespect or disbelief by laughing at someone directly.
When he suggested a raise, the boss laughed in his face.
She laughed in my face when I said I’d win the race.
laugh like a drain
idiomTo laugh very loudly and heartily.
Grandpa laughed like a drain at the old joke.
She laughs like a drain whenever she hears that story.
To go from feeling pleased to feeling disappointed or annoyed.
He’ll laugh on the other side of his face when he sees the bill.
You may win now, but you’ll laugh on the other side of your face later.
To completely reject an idea or story as not worth taking seriously.
The committee laughed his proposal out of court.
Her excuse was laughed out of court by the teacher.
To laugh so hard that tears come to your eyes.
The comedy was so funny we laughed till we cried.
She laughed until she cried at the silly cat video.
To secretly find something amusing, often at someone else's expense.
He was laughing up his sleeve at his brother's mistake.
She laughed up her sleeve when the boss forgot his speech.
To be unsure how to react to a bad or confusing situation.
When my car broke down again, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry after the exam.
To laugh very hard, often uncontrollably.
The joke was so good I almost pissed myself laughing.
They pissed themselves laughing at the comedian's routine.
To laugh a lot, as if your sides might split.
The audience split their sides laughing at the play.
We split our sides with laughter during the game.
Used to say that a situation is so bad or absurd that it's funny.
I missed the bus and then it started raining—you've got to laugh.
He spilled coffee on his shirt right before the meeting; you have to laugh.
laugh — noun
1. the sounds or physical actions that happen when a person finds something funny o
the sounds or physical actions that happen when a person finds something funny or enjoyable
A loud laugh from the back of the room made everyone turn around.
adjective + laugh — describing the sound
Liam gave a short laugh when he realised his own mistake.
give + a + adjective + laugh
Alessia's laugh was so warm and friendly that strangers felt at ease.
The children's happy laughs could be heard from across the park.
plural: laughs — referring to individual sounds
- loud laugh
- hearty laugh
- nervous laugh
- burst of laughter
- sound of laughter
- peal of laughter
Grammar Patterns
[adjective] + laugh
give + a + [adjective] + laugh
sound of laughter
Usage Note
Both countable and uncountable: 'We heard laughter' (uncountable, general sound) vs. 'She let out a loud laugh' (countable, one instance). The plural 'laughs' is common for describing repeated sounds from different people.
Common Mistakes
2. an activity, event, or situation that is enjoyable and makes people feel amused
an activity, event, or situation that is enjoyable and makes people feel amused
The school trip to the water park was a real laugh for everyone.
a real laugh — fixed phrase for an enjoyable activity
Playing board games with the Watanabe family is always a good laugh.
a good laugh — common phrase for fun experiences
Ziad said the comedy show was a laugh from start to finish.
Nora and her cousins had some good laughs during their holiday in Japan.
have some good laughs — plural form for multiple fun moments
- good laugh
- real laugh
- great laugh
- have a laugh
- for a laugh
Grammar Patterns
be + a + (adjective) + laugh
have + a + laugh
for laughs
Usage Note
Used mainly in informal British English in fixed phrases like 'be a laugh' and 'have a laugh'. In American English, 'fun' or 'blast' are more common for this meaning.
3. a person who has a good sense of humour and easily makes other people smile or l
a person who has a good sense of humour and easily makes other people smile or laugh
Eli is such a laugh — he always has the funniest stories to tell.
such a laugh — emphasis pattern for describing a person
Everyone invited Defne to parties because she was a real laugh.
a real laugh — describing a person's humour
My uncle is a laugh; you will spend the whole evening smiling.
People enjoy working with Padma because she is a good laugh.
- a real laugh
- a good laugh
- such a laugh
Grammar Patterns
be + a + (adjective) + laugh
such a laugh
Usage Note
Chiefly British informal. The structure is always 'be + a + laugh' with an article; 'He is laugh' is incorrect. For an American equivalent, use 'a riot' or 'a hoot'.
Common Mistakes
4. a short funny story, remark, or piece of humour that is told to make people enjo
a short funny story, remark, or piece of humour that is told to make people enjoy themselves
Esteban's story about his trip was such a laugh that we made him tell it again.
such a laugh — fixed phrase for a funny story
Amira shared a laugh about her cat's latest trick that had everyone in stitches.
The audience got a good laugh from the comedian's bit about airplane food.
get a good laugh from — pattern for enjoying a funny story
Lien and her cousins had a real laugh retelling her grandfather's fishing story.
had a real laugh + -ing — pattern for enjoying a funny story
- good laugh
- old laugh
- quick laugh
- tell a laugh
- share a laugh
- joke
more common and direct; can be planned or spontaneous
- funny story
more explanatory; a short narrative intended to amuse
Grammar Patterns
tell + a + laugh
[adjective] + laugh
Usage Note
Less common than 'joke' or 'funny story'. This sense overlaps with 'joke' but tends to be used in informal speech, often with 'good', 'old', or 'quick' as a modifier.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Laugh is the general-purpose word for making sounds that show amusement — it works in any context, from a quiet smile-sound to a loud outburst. Chuckle means to laugh quietly, often in a satisfied or private way, such as when reading a book alone. Giggle is a high-pitched, repeated laugh that sounds light or childish; teenagers might giggle at a silly comment, but an adult giggling in a serious meeting can seem nervous. Roar describes very loud, unrestrained laughter, the kind you hear from a crowd at a comedy club when the punchline lands perfectly. In short: laugh is neutral for all situations; chuckle is quiet and private; giggle is light and high; roar is loud and explosive.
Common collocations
Etymology
Laugh comes from Old English 'hlæhhan', which meant to laugh, rejoice, or ridicule. That word traces back through Proto-Germanic 'hlahjaną' to the Proto-Indo-European root 'kleg-', meaning to shout or make a sound. It is related to modern Dutch 'lachen' and German 'lachen', both meaning to laugh.