Showing results for "laughing"

• present participle of laugh.

laughing

American  

[laf-ing, lah-fing] / ˈlæf ɪŋ, ˈlɑ fɪŋ /

adjective

1. that laughs or is given to laughter.

   a laughing child.

2. uttering sounds like human laughter, as some birds.

3. suggesting laughter by brightness, color, sound, etc..

   a laughing stream; laughing flowers.

4. laughable.

   The increase in crime is no laughing matter.

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noun

1. laughter.

Other Word Forms

• unlaughing
  adjective
• laughingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of laughing

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at laugh, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

"Subconsciously, I didn't want to have natto just dripping from my beard," he said, laughing.

From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026

"Either way, I win," he told the BBC, laughing.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

“After it went in, I was laughing pretty hard,” Ehlers said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026

Whether the lawyers were laughing when they typed this is known only to them.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

She dips her paddle in and out faster, which does nothing for our forward motion, and I let go of my own paddle and bend forward, unable to sit up straight, I’m laughing so hard.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• humorous