as in chuckles
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
humorous anecdotes that are likely to evoke lots of smiles but few belly laughs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belly laughs
In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes.
—
Mariella Rudi,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
This show, which still prompts belly laughs from my daughter and me even after countless rewatches, meets and surpasses my mother’s bar.
—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Serious belly laughs and nerve-racking moments arrive in equal measure; tonally, there’s nothing quite like it.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
9 Dec. 2025
For over 50 years, it’s been the morning soundtrack of childhood, making its bright colors, belly laughs and sing-along tunes a cozy ritual for many.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Kids need to have belly laughs and almost pee their pants when reading—which is something that few other authors besides Seuss can do without invoking potty humor.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Mariella Rudi,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
This show, which still prompts belly laughs from my daughter and me even after countless rewatches, meets and surpasses my mother’s bar.
—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Serious belly laughs and nerve-racking moments arrive in equal measure; tonally, there’s nothing quite like it.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
9 Dec. 2025
For over 50 years, it’s been the morning soundtrack of childhood, making its bright colors, belly laughs and sing-along tunes a cozy ritual for many.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Kids need to have belly laughs and almost pee their pants when reading—which is something that few other authors besides Seuss can do without invoking potty humor.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly laughs
Noun
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There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
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Even Saturday Night Live’s reigning king of smarm, Colin Jost, playing a henpecked husband, got some chuckles out of me.
Noun
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Admittedly, Carmy is not exactly a bucket of giggles in this episode, or, really, in any episode.
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These giggles evolved to best suit animals’ different social lives, said Brittany Florkiewicz, who studies animal communication at Lyon College and had no role in the new research.
Noun
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Davidson cowrote each episode, providing plenty of laughs and adding an extra bounce to the show’s hopeful ending.
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Nervous laughs and unexpected insights emerge as young people use stories to make sense of themselves and the world around them.
Noun
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There were snickers from some of the other students, including a tall and lank-haired kid whose name Adele didn’t know.
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The event also had free opportunities to take photos, get ice cream snickers and have earned a Super Bowl post card.
Cite this Entry
“Belly laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20laughs. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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