Laughing Definition & Meaning

Definition

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms 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.

noun

1. laughter.

Other Word Forms

• laughingly adverb
• unlaughing adjective

Etymology

Origin of laughing

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Not at all. You said that you’d like a name that was warm and personal. I’m laughing with you, not at you, but only if you’d like that.”

From Literature

She was always laughing and singing and hopping around on that old crutch just as if she didn’t have a worry in the world.

From Literature

They looked like they were having such fun, rolling in the dirt and laughing.

From Literature

“I think he knows better than to ask that,” she says, laughing.

From Los Angeles Times

They were laughing and smiling before the game.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• humorous

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.