3 Ways To Keep A Straight Face - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Keep a Straight Face PDF download Download Article Explore this Article methods 1 Controlling Your Face 2 Distracting Yourself 3 Working on Listening Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Sabrina Grover, LMSW

Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Sabrina Grover, LMSW. Sabrina Grover, LMSW is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who earned her degree in Advanced Clinical Practice from New York University. Sabrina has experience working in substance abuse recovery centers and schools where she gained experience providing evidence-based treatment to children, adolescents, adults, and families. Sabrina specializes in Dialectical, Narrative, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. She has particular expertise in treating clients struggling with grief, complex trauma, interpersonal difficulty, family conflict, anxiety, and depression. She commits to providing a supportive environment for everyone who commits to growth and offering a warm, non-judgmental atmosphere. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 815,785 times.

Keeping a straight face when you're trying not to laugh or give away how you're feeling can be really tough. Try to control your face by preventing a smile from spreading across it. You can also distract yourself if you're trying not to laugh or you don't want anyone to know how you're feeling. Really listening to the person you're speaking to can also help you keep a straight face, because it helps you take the conversation seriously.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Controlling Your Face

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  1. Step 1 Take a deep breath. 1 Take a deep breath. It’s impossible to laugh while you’re inhaling. If you’re afraid you can’t keep a straight face, take a deep breath in, and let it out slowly. Repeat this as many times as you need to until you feel like you don’t need to laugh anymore.[1]
    • Don't take a huge deep breath with your mouth open - it might be obvious what you're trying to do. Instead, take a deep breath through your nose since that should make your breath quieter.
    • To get a good, deep breath, you should inhale for 2 to 3 seconds and exhale for 3 to 4.
  2. Step 2 Purse your lips. 2 Purse your lips. Pursing your lips together can help prevent a smile from spreading across your face. Clench your jaw and press your lips together. With your jaw clenched and your lips together, you won't be able to laugh out loud.[2]
    • If you're worried pursing your lips will be obvious, clench your jaw tighter. Doing both will keep you from losing your straight face, but clenching your jaw will make it less obvious what you're doing.
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  3. Step 3 Bite the inside of your cheek. 3 Bite the inside of your cheek. If you feel liking pursing your lips isn't working, try biting the inside of your cheek. It's easier to keep your face straight when your cheek is sucked in. And if all else fails, the pain should help you keep your feelings to yourself.
    • If you're worried about looking obvious when you're biting the inside of your cheek, use your hand to pretend to wipe across your mouth. As you're doing that, bite the inside of your cheek.
  4. Step 4 Cover your mouth. 4 Cover your mouth. If you’re really afraid you can’t stop yourself from smiling, cover your mouth with your hand. Try not to be super obvious when you do it, though. Cover the corner of your mouth with your fingers or pinch your lips together.
  5. Step 5 Pretend to cough or sneeze. 5 Pretend to cough or sneeze. If you really can't keep a straight face, pretend to cough or sneeze. That gives you a chance to hide your face when you cover your mouth and contort your face if you can't keep it straight.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Distracting Yourself

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  1. Step 1 Look elsewhere. 1 Look elsewhere. If you see something funny and you’re afraid you won’t be able to keep it together, look away. Focus on something just above or to the side of whatever is funny to you. This way, it looks like you’re still paying attention and you don’t come across as rude.[3]
    • If you're in a situation where looking away might seem rude - in class or a meeting, for example - you can take a look at your notes. That still seems appropriate and helps you cover.
  2. Step 2 Look at your feet. 2 Look at your feet. If you really can’t look away – maybe you’re having a conversation with someone or playing a game – try looking at your feet. It’s a pretty normal thing for people to do, and it might buy you just enough time to get your facial expressions back under control.
  3. Step 3 Think about something else. 3 Think about something else. If you’re worried, you’ll laugh, think about something sad. This will almost always relax your face. It keeps you from laughing if you’re worried about that, and it will also make your face hard to read.[4]
    • For example, think about a sad commercial you saw recently.
    • If you're worried about your reaction to thinking about something sad, try thinking about something else - you can count backward from a very high number, or try to remember something complex, like a math formula.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Working on Listening

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  1. Step 1 Ask questions... 1 Ask questions. If you’re trying to keep a straight face while you’re talking to someone, invest yourself more in the conversation. One way to do this is to ask the person questions. It’s also a good way to steer the conversation away from something you find funny.[5]
    • For example, if the person you're speaking to has been telling you about their job, but then they veer off into a topic you find funny, try to ask them questions that get them back onto talk about their job.
    • You can say things like "Tell me more about what sort of schooling you needed for your job," or "How did you get started in that field."
  2. Step 2 Practice what you'll say. 2 Practice what you'll say. If you have a hard time keeping a straight face when you're telling a joke or playing a game, practice ahead of time. Practice the joke over and over so you can keep your face straight when you tell it. You can also practice things to talk about during a game to distract yourself and keep a good poker face.
    • If you're trying to distract yourself during a game, talk about something completely unrelated to it.
    • For example, if you're playing poker, don't talk about other poker games you've played. Instead, you can talk about what's going on at work or something that happened while you were at the store.
  3. Step 3 Think of similar situations you’ve been in. 3 Think of similar situations you’ve been in. People you speak to will feel validated if you can back up what they’re saying with your own experiences.[6] Thinking about your own past gets your mind off the present and helps you control your face.
    • For example, if someone is telling you an embarrassing story that you can tell hurts them a bit, share your own embarrassing story. It not only stops you from laughing, but it can also help the other person feel better about their own experience.
    • Validate what they are saying.[7]
    • Let them know that you are there for them.[8]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question How do I not laugh when someone is telling a joke? Community Answer Community Answer Usually, if you're trying not to laugh, there are a few ways to achieve it. You can bite down on the inside of your cheek until the urge to laugh goes away. Or you can try to convince yourself that you're delivering bad news until you get to the punch line or the end of the joke. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 44 Helpful 329
  • Question How do I keep a straight face when I am being tickled? Community Answer Community Answer Try discreetly pinching or scratching yourself, and focusing on the feeling of the pinch or scratch instead of the feeling of being tickled. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 53 Helpful 313
  • Question How can I force myself to not cry at all? Community Answer Community Answer Think about something else, something funny or odd. Do not think of cute, sweet or sad things, as these can just add to the feelings of wanting to cry. If it's inevitable, pretend to trip and say that you hit your hand against something and it really hurts and rub it a lot. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 42 Helpful 273
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References

  1. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ysjr5ADOs&t=15s
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rovru0XjW0I
  4. ↑ https://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control
  5. ↑ https://positivepsychology.com/introspection-self-reflection/
  6. ↑ Sabrina Grover, LMSW. Licensed Master Social Worker. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ Sabrina Grover, LMSW. Licensed Master Social Worker. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ Sabrina Grover, LMSW. Licensed Master Social Worker. Expert Interview

About This Article

Sabrina Grover, LMSW Co-authored by: Sabrina Grover, LMSW Licensed Master Social Worker This article was co-authored by Sabrina Grover, LMSW. Sabrina Grover, LMSW is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who earned her degree in Advanced Clinical Practice from New York University. Sabrina has experience working in substance abuse recovery centers and schools where she gained experience providing evidence-based treatment to children, adolescents, adults, and families. Sabrina specializes in Dialectical, Narrative, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. She has particular expertise in treating clients struggling with grief, complex trauma, interpersonal difficulty, family conflict, anxiety, and depression. She commits to providing a supportive environment for everyone who commits to growth and offering a warm, non-judgmental atmosphere. This article has been viewed 815,785 times. 32 votes - 84% Co-authors: 80 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 815,785 Categories: Smiling Article SummaryX

Keeping a straight face can be tough when you’re trying not to laugh, but you can hide your emotions by controlling your face and distracting yourself. It’s impossible to laugh while you’re inhaling, so take a deep breath through your nose and let it out slowly if you think you’re going to burst out laughing. To help yourself breathe deeply, inhale for 2 to 3 seconds and exhale for 3 to 4 seconds. Alternatively, purse your lips together and clench your jaw to keep your mouth from smiling. If you’re afraid you can’t keep your face under control, look at your feet or something else far away from the funny thing. For more tips, like how to keep a conversation going when you think something is funny, read on. Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Sabrina Grover, LMSW Co-authored by: Sabrina Grover, LMSW Licensed Master Social Worker Co-authors: 80 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 815,785 84% of readers found this article helpful. 32 votes - 84% Click a star to add your vote Georgia Skaltsa

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