cackle
verb (used without object)
to utter a shrill, broken sound or cry, as of a hen.
cackling
-
present participleof cackle.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many plays and musicals are supposed to draw chuckles, but theatergoers today are cackling like they’re at a comedy show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
Those stereotypes might bring to mind images of black hats, broomsticks and cackling over cauldrons, common in much media.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2025
And if you can be cackling laughing without a full set twirling in automation, that proves that the bones of the play are solid.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2025
These fearsome carnivores, known for their splotchy fur and cackling “laughter,” form complicated social networks in which high-ranking females hold sway over males and other, less dominant females.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 29, 2024
The hen watched us, cackling nervously, and when we walked around the bush, her beady eyes followed us.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
