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.
-
Obsolete. to cluck, as a fowl.
noun
-
a soft laugh, usually of satisfaction.
-
Obsolete. the cluck of a hen.
verb
-
to laugh softly or to oneself
-
(of animals, esp hens) to make a clucking sound
noun
Synonym Usage
See laugh.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has chuckledperfect 3rd person singular
-
have chuckledperfect
-
are chucklingprogressive
-
have been chucklingperfect progressive
-
am chucklingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is chucklingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
has been chucklingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
chucklessingular 3rd person
-
chucklingparticiple
Past
-
had chuckledperfect
-
was chucklingprogressive singular
-
were chucklingprogressive plural
-
chuckledsimple
-
chuckledparticiple
-
had been chucklingperfect progressive
Future
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Sula
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“Oh, that’s cold isn’t it,” Ms. Ayres-Wilson says, with a chuckle.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Trump then said, before adding with a chuckle: "I think you could."
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
Humor is not entirely absent from “Half Man,” some of the characters’ reactions to their distressing realities earn a chuckle.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
"I probably would have shut up in the press far earlier," he says with a chuckle.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
“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.
