in stitches

Idioms  

1. Laughing uncontrollably, as in Joke after joke had me in stitches. Although the precise idiom dates only from about 1930, Shakespeare had a similar expression in Twelfth Night (3:2): “If you desire the spleen, and will laugh yourselves into stitches, follow me.” Stitches here refers to the sharp local pain (known as a stitch in the side) that can make one double over, much as a fit of laughter can.

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Example Sentences

Inside the ornate Bovard Auditorium, Larry David kept a full audience in stitches as he discussed the creation and legacy of his improv hit, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which concluded in 2024 after 12 seasons.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

The family’s legislative contributions run broad and deep, with programs and initiatives that have woven themselves into the fabric of our national life in stitches both large and small.

From Salon • Jan. 4, 2026

"Every time I see it I'm just in stitches," she says.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025

For a show that has its audience in stitches, “Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha” is not without solemnity.

From New York Times • May 21, 2024

He had the crowd in stitches even though he was telling the story of how his whole town had been slowly swallowed by the sea.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz