chuckle
Americanverb (used without object)
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to laugh softly or amusedly, usually with satisfaction.
They chuckled at the child's efforts to walk.
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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
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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
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 also remember her saying, very clearly, 'Charles, look, young Charles. He's so cute,'" Trump said with a chuckle.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
I understood his concern and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a chuckle.
From Salon • Feb. 27, 2026
“I always chuckle a little bit when I see these reports in the paper,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
That bucolic scene is filmed in a slow pivot around the park, cinematographer Nick Morris getting a chuckle from how the image shifts from Georges Seurat to “Hellraiser.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
With a chuckle of shame and mortification, I wiped them away with my sleeve.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
