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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belly laughs
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
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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Between chuckles and jokes, two middle schoolers hovered over a pan heating on an electric stove.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Many of them are amusing enough to get chuckles and the odd big laugh but a little more wit amongst the throwaway put-downs would have been welcome.—
Richard Kuipers,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The weekly gatherings of knitters at Needle & Skein, a yarn store in Minneapolis, are typically filled with giggles and storytelling.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
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On Tuesday morning, the Oscar winner ended her Today interview with host Craig Melvin in giggles after making a simple mistake, confusing one TV network for another.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His teams won five College World Series titles — three at Fullerton and two at Texas — and left an enduring impact of triumph with some stumbles and plenty of laughs along the way.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
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There are plenty of laughs along the way, but the most powerful moment lands midway through the show.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated February 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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While there were a few snickers, the photographers obliged and got their photos.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belly laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20laughs. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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