Idioms are playful and vivid expressions that add so much color, emotion, and creativity to the way we speak, and when it comes to laughter, they bring an even brighter spark to our conversations by helping us describe moments of joy, silliness, and pure happiness in a way that plain words simply can’t capture.
Laughing idioms are especially exciting to learn because they not only make your language more expressive but also allow you to paint a picture of emotions that can connect you more deeply with your listeners, making any story or conversation feel more alive and memorable.
In this article, you’ll find a full list of popular idioms about laughing, along with their meanings, real-life example sentences, and fun alternative ways to say them, so you can start using them naturally and bring a little extra laughter to your everyday chats.
Idioms for Laughing
1. Burst out laughing
Meaning: To suddenly start laughing loudly.
In a Sentence: When I tripped over my own shoelaces in front of everyone, my best friend burst out laughing so hard that she couldn’t even help me get up.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh uncontrollably, Crack up loudly
2. Laugh your head off
Meaning: To laugh a lot and very loudly.
In a Sentence: We watched a comedy movie last night and I laughed my head off at every silly joke and ridiculous scene they showed.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh like crazy, Roar with laughter
3. Roll on the floor laughing
Meaning: To laugh so hard that you could imagine yourself rolling on the floor.
In a Sentence: The prank my brother pulled was so unexpected that I literally rolled on the floor laughing for a full five minutes.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh hysterically, Laugh uncontrollably
4. In stitches
Meaning: Laughing so much that it actually hurts.
In a Sentence: Her story about getting locked out of her house in pajamas had us all in stitches by the time she got to the part about climbing through the window.
Other Ways to Say: Laughing hard, Crying with laughter
5. Crack up
Meaning: To suddenly start laughing a lot.
In a Sentence: Every time my little nephew tells one of his made-up jokes, I crack up even though they usually make no sense at all.
Other Ways to Say: Burst out laughing, Lose it laughing
6. Split your sides
Meaning: Laughing so much that it feels like your sides might hurt.
In a Sentence: I was splitting my sides laughing when my dad tried to dance to the latest TikTok trend without even knowing the moves.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh until it hurts, Laugh uncontrollably
7. Have a good laugh
Meaning: To enjoy laughing a lot, usually about something funny or silly.
In a Sentence: After a long, stressful day at work, it felt so good to meet up with friends, share funny stories, and have a really good laugh together.
Other Ways to Say: Enjoy a laugh, Share laughter
8. Die laughing
Meaning: Laughing so hard that you feel like you can’t breathe.
In a Sentence: I almost died laughing when my dog tried to chase his own tail and ended up knocking over a chair in the living room.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh until you can’t breathe, Collapse laughing
9. Tickle someone’s funny bone
Meaning: To make someone laugh or amuse them.
In a Sentence: That stand-up comedian really tickled my funny bone with his jokes about everyday life struggles we all can relate to.
Other Ways to Say: Make someone laugh, Amuse greatly
10. Laugh up your sleeve
Meaning: To laugh quietly to yourself, often because you’re secretly amused.
In a Sentence: Even though she kept a straight face during the serious meeting, I knew she was laughing up her sleeve at the manager’s funny tie.
Other Ways to Say: Hide your laughter, Chuckle secretly
11. Get the giggles
Meaning: To start laughing uncontrollably, often at something small or silly.
In a Sentence: Once we got the giggles during class, it became impossible to stop, even though the teacher kept giving us the most serious looks.
Other Ways to Say: Start laughing uncontrollably, Have a laughing fit
12. Giggle like a schoolgirl
Meaning: To laugh in a silly, high-pitched way like a young girl.
In a Sentence: He giggled like a schoolgirl when he accidentally sent a funny meme to the wrong group chat.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh in a girlish way, Giggle uncontrollably
13. Laugh till you cry
Meaning: To laugh so hard that tears come out of your eyes.
In a Sentence: The skit was so hilarious that I laughed till I cried and had to wipe my face with a napkin.
Other Ways to Say: Cry with laughter, Laugh hysterically
14. Roar with laughter
Meaning: To laugh very loudly and wholeheartedly.
In a Sentence: When the magician pulled a rubber chicken out of his hat instead of a rabbit, the whole audience roared with laughter.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh loudly, Burst into loud laughter
15. Belly laugh
Meaning: A deep, hearty, loud laugh that comes from the stomach.
In a Sentence: Hearing Grandpa’s silly stories always leads to a good old-fashioned belly laugh around the family dinner table.
Other Ways to Say: Hearty laugh, Deep laugh
16. Laugh like a drain
Meaning: To laugh loudly and ungracefully.
In a Sentence: My uncle laughed like a drain when he saw the video of me trying to skateboard for the first time and falling flat on my face.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh coarsely, Laugh loudly without caring
17. Cackle like a witch
Meaning: To laugh in a loud, shrill, and sometimes slightly mischievous way.
In a Sentence: She cackled like a witch when she managed to prank her brother by hiding a fake spider in his backpack and watching him scream.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh wickedly, Shriek with laughter
18. Chuckle to yourself
Meaning: To laugh quietly, usually when something amuses you personally.
In a Sentence: As I read through the old text messages between me and my best friend, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself at all the silly inside jokes we had.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh softly, Smile and laugh quietly
19. Laugh like a hyena
Meaning: To laugh loudly and wildly, often in a crazy or uncontrollable way.
In a Sentence: The kids laughed like hyenas when the clown at the party juggled bananas and slipped on a rubber chicken.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh wildly, Cackle loudly
20. Laugh all the way to the bank
Meaning: To make a lot of money easily while others are surprised or doubtful.
In a Sentence: Everyone thought his silly invention would fail, but he ended up laughing all the way to the bank when it became a huge hit online.
Other Ways to Say: Profit unexpectedly, Get rich happily
21. Grin from ear to ear
Meaning: To have a huge, joyful smile, often from laughing or happiness.
In a Sentence: When I saw my surprise birthday party, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear and start laughing out of pure happiness.
Other Ways to Say: Smile widely, Beam with joy
22. Horse laugh
Meaning: A loud, deep, and often unrestrained laugh.
In a Sentence: His joke about losing his phone while talking on it made me let out a horse laugh that echoed through the whole café.
Other Ways to Say: Deep loud laugh, Booming laughter
23. Tee-hee
Meaning: A light, high-pitched giggle, often used in a playful or childish way.
In a Sentence: She let out a soft tee-hee when she accidentally sent a heart emoji to her crush by mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Giggle softly, Laugh in a cute way
24. Chortle
Meaning: To laugh or chuckle with glee, usually a mix between a chuckle and a snort.
In a Sentence: He chortled with delight when he saw the tiny puppy trying to chase its own tail in endless circles.
Other Ways to Say: Snorting laugh, Giggly chuckle
25. Titter
Meaning: To laugh in a nervous, restrained, or quiet way.
In a Sentence: When the teacher tripped over a cord during the lecture, the entire class tried to hide their titters behind their hands.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous laugh, Soft giggle
26. Snicker
Meaning: To laugh quietly in a mean or mischievous way.
In a Sentence: The boys snickered behind the lockers after switching the teacher’s chalk with a piece of white soap.
Other Ways to Say: Sneaky laugh, Mean chuckle
27. Snort with laughter
Meaning: To make a snorting sound while laughing, usually because the laughter is uncontrollable.
In a Sentence: I snorted with laughter during the play when the main actor forgot his lines and completely improvised with ridiculous jokes.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh noisily, Snort while laughing
28. Burst into laughter
Meaning: To suddenly start laughing very loudly and energetically.
In a Sentence: As soon as the funny video started playing, everyone in the room burst into laughter at the crazy dance moves on screen.
Other Ways to Say: Break into laughter, Erupt laughing
29. Laugh something off
Meaning: To make a joke about something embarrassing or upsetting to seem less serious.
In a Sentence: After I fell in front of the whole class, I just laughed it off and made a silly joke about auditioning for a slapstick comedy.
Other Ways to Say: Brush it off, Joke away embarrassment
30. Bellyache with laughter
Meaning: To laugh so hard that your stomach aches.
In a Sentence: I was bellyaching with laughter after my sister tried to explain how she mistook a mop for a ghost in the middle of the night.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh till it hurts, Double over laughing
31. Peal of laughter
Meaning: A loud burst or series of loud bursts of laughter.
In a Sentence: The moment the comedian made his first joke, the room exploded in peals of laughter that echoed for several minutes.
Other Ways to Say: Wave of laughter, Loud laughing bursts
32. Snigger
Meaning: To laugh quietly and disrespectfully, often at someone else’s expense.
In a Sentence: They sniggered when the new kid stumbled while introducing himself, but the teacher quickly put a stop to it.
Other Ways to Say: Sneaky laugh, Suppressed giggle
33. Laugh till your sides ache
Meaning: To laugh so much that your side muscles actually start to hurt.
In a Sentence: By the end of the prank video marathon, I was laughing till my sides ached, clutching my stomach and wiping tears from my eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh uncontrollably, Hurt from laughing
34. Guffaw
Meaning: A loud and boisterous laugh, often sudden and hearty.
In a Sentence: When he finally understood the punchline of the joke five minutes later, he let out such a loud guffaw that even the neighboring tables turned to look.
Other Ways to Say: Loud laugh, Big hearty laugh
35. Fall about laughing
Meaning: To laugh uncontrollably and physically show it by bending over or stumbling.
In a Sentence: We fell about laughing when the magician’s dove decided to perch on a guest’s head instead of flying away.
Other Ways to Say: Collapse laughing, Double over laughing
36. Have the last laugh
Meaning: To be successful or victorious after others doubted or mocked you.
In a Sentence: Everyone laughed at him for pursuing art instead of business, but he had the last laugh when his paintings started selling for thousands.
Other Ways to Say: Win in the end, Succeed after mockery
37. Laugh like a drainpipe
Meaning: To laugh noisily, unattractively, and without restraint.
In a Sentence: I laughed like a drainpipe when I saw my cat’s dramatic reaction to seeing a cucumber on the floor.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh loudly and messily, Unrestrained laugh
38. Burst into fits of laughter
Meaning: To start laughing uncontrollably, often in repeated bursts.
In a Sentence: Every time he tried to tell the story of how he got locked in the bathroom, he burst into fits of laughter and couldn’t even finish it.
Other Ways to Say: Break into laughter repeatedly, Lose it laughing
39. Dying of laughter
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t handle the laughter because it’s too intense.
In a Sentence: We were absolutely dying of laughter when Dad tried to use modern slang and ended up sounding like a time traveler from the past.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh until breathless, Collapse laughing
40. Shriek with laughter
Meaning: To let out high-pitched sounds while laughing.
In a Sentence: The horror movie wasn’t even that scary, but I shrieked with laughter every time a fake ghost popped out and startled my friends.
Other Ways to Say: Scream laughing, High-pitched laughing
41. Wipe tears of laughter
Meaning: To cry from laughing so much.
In a Sentence: After watching my friend attempt to ride a hoverboard for the first time, I was wiping tears of laughter off my face for a solid hour.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh until crying, Cry tears of laughter
42. Collapse with laughter
Meaning: To physically fall or sit down because you’re laughing so hard.
In a Sentence: I collapsed with laughter on the grass when my dog tried to chase a butterfly and spun himself dizzy.
Other Ways to Say: Fall laughing, Sit down laughing
43. Roaring with laughter
Meaning: Laughing extremely loudly and without holding back.
In a Sentence: At the wedding reception, the best man’s speech had the entire room roaring with laughter within just a few sentences.
Other Ways to Say: Loud laughter, Explosive laughter
44. Explode with laughter
Meaning: To suddenly laugh very loudly and energetically.
In a Sentence: As soon as the cake fell off the table in slow motion, everyone in the room exploded with laughter without even trying to hold it back.
Other Ways to Say: Burst into laughter, Erupt laughing
45. Tears streaming down your face
Meaning: Laughing so much that tears literally pour down your cheeks.
In a Sentence: My brother’s impression of a grumpy cat was so spot-on that I had tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard.
Other Ways to Say: Cry with laughter, Weep from laughing
46. Cough with laughter
Meaning: To laugh so hard that you start coughing.
In a Sentence: When my best friend told me the ridiculous lie he used to get out of gym class, I coughed with laughter and nearly dropped my drink.
Other Ways to Say: Choke from laughing, Splutter while laughing
47. Howl with laughter
Meaning: To laugh loudly and for a long time, like a wolf howling.
In a Sentence: During the family game night, someone made such a bad pun that we were all howling with laughter and couldn’t stop for a full ten minutes.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh loudly, Howl laughing
48. Hoot with laughter
Meaning: To laugh loudly, often in a series of short bursts.
In a Sentence: The audience hooted with laughter at the comedian’s jokes about everyday life struggles everyone could relate to.
Other Ways to Say: Burst into laughter, Shout-laugh
49. Burst into peals of laughter
Meaning: To break into multiple loud bursts of joyful laughter.
In a Sentence: When our teacher made a clever pun about algebra, the whole class burst into peals of laughter, completely forgetting it was a math lesson.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh loudly in waves, Uncontrollable bursts of laughter
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- When the magician’s trick failed, the audience _______ with laughter.
- I couldn’t stop _______ when my dog barked at his own reflection.
- My friend told such a funny joke that I was _______ with laughter.
- After the slip on the ice, we were all _______ so hard that we couldn’t even help him up.
- She started to _______ when she accidentally sent a funny meme to the wrong group chat.
- He always manages to _______ my funny bone with his goofy impressions.
- They were _______ from ear to ear after winning the big prize.
- We were _______ tears of laughter after hearing about his disastrous cooking attempt.
- It was impossible not to _______ when we saw the dog in a tutu.
- They _______ like a pack of wild hyenas at the silly dance contest.
Answers:
roared, cracking up, bellyaching, collapsing, giggle, tickle, grinning, wiping, laugh, howled
Conclusion
Learning idioms for laughing is not just about adding fun expressions to your language; it’s about bringing more life, emotion, and color into the way you communicate with the world around you.
By mastering these lively phrases, you can make your stories, jokes, and conversations feel richer, more relatable, and filled with even more warmth and humor that draws people in.
Keep practicing these idioms in your everyday conversations, and before you know it, you’ll be spreading laughter and smiles everywhere you go, making every interaction a little brighter and a lot more unforgettable.