chuckle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to laugh softly or amusedly, usually with satisfaction.
They chuckled at the child's efforts to walk.
-
to laugh to oneself.
to chuckle while reading.
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Obsolete. to cluck, as a fowl.
noun
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a soft laugh, usually of satisfaction.
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Obsolete. the cluck of a hen.
verb
-
to laugh softly or to oneself
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(of animals, esp hens) to make a clucking sound
noun
Related Words
See laugh.
Other Word Forms
- chuckler noun
- chucklingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of chuckle
Explanation
Chuckle is as fun to say as it is to do. In fact, just the sound of the word chuckle may make you feeling like chuckling, or laughing softly. Chuckle is one of many words for different kinds of laughter. These include giggle, titter, snicker, and a word that is a cross between chuckle and snort — chortle. These words are all imitative. That is, the word itself sounds like the noise it refers to. With all these words for laughter, it may be hard to choose the right one for the occasion. Use chuckle when you mean a quiet, even soundless laugh.
Vocabulary lists containing chuckle
Instead of "Said": Words for Upbeat Banter
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 4
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Sula
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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.
I understood his concern and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a chuckle.
From Salon • Feb. 27, 2026
After a long, uneasy pause, Orsoni broke the silence with a chuckle and his henchmen followed suit.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026
Amid the hard-hitting moral drama of “It Was Just an Accident,” moments that warrant a chuckle for their realistic absurdity might surprise some viewers.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026
But Jarmusch’s deadpan approach often chases that sadness with a wry chuckle during instances of unfiltered honesty.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025
“Well, if I knew that, I wouldn’t do it, I suppose,” he said with a kind of chuckle.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
