Laughter is a beautiful sound that fills a room, lightens the mood, and brings people together like nothing else. But describing a good laugh can be tricky — was it a giggle, a chuckle, or a full-on belly laugh? That’s where similes come in. Similes use “like” or “as” to compare one thing to another, helping you express the exact kind of laughter you experienced. They make writing more fun, more visual, and way more expressive.
In this article, we’ll explore 48 colorful similes for laughing that help paint a clear picture of different types of laughter — from soft and silly to loud and uncontrollable. Each one includes its meaning, an example sentence, and other ways to say it. You’ll even find a quick practice section at the end so you can test out your new vocabulary!
Similes for Laughing
1. Laughing like a hyena
Meaning: Laughing loudly and uncontrollably, often in a wild or goofy way.
In a Sentence: When my friend slipped on the banana peel during our skit, I was laughing like a hyena and couldn’t stop even when my stomach started to hurt.
Other Ways to Say: Cackling uncontrollably, Bursting into wild laughter
2. Laughing like a drain
Meaning: Laughing in a loud, unrefined, and hearty way.
In a Sentence: He was laughing like a drain at every joke during the comedy show, completely losing control of himself with each punchline.
Other Ways to Say: Guffawing, Roaring with laughter
3. Laughing like a loon
Meaning: Laughing in a strange, loud, and sometimes slightly unhinged way.
In a Sentence: She was laughing like a loon when she realized her socks didn’t match all day and no one told her.
Other Ways to Say: Laughing madly, In stitches
4. Laughing like a bubbling brook
Meaning: Laughing softly and continuously, like water flowing over rocks.
In a Sentence: Her laughter was so sweet and gentle, like a bubbling brook trickling through the forest on a quiet spring day.
Other Ways to Say: Giggling gently, Light and airy laughter
5. Laughing like a monkey in a banana store
Meaning: Laughing with overwhelming joy and mischief.
In a Sentence: When we pulled off the prank perfectly, we were all laughing like monkeys in a banana store, full of glee and high-fives.
Other Ways to Say: Laughing mischievously, Overcome with laughter
6. Laughing like popcorn in a microwave
Meaning: Laughing in short, rapid bursts that grow in intensity.
In a Sentence: I was laughing like popcorn in a microwave — first little giggles, then full-on bursts that I couldn’t contain as the joke got funnier and funnier.
Other Ways to Say: Bursting with giggles, Popping with laughter
7. Laughing like a clown at a birthday party
Meaning: Laughing in a loud, exaggerated, and cheerful way.
In a Sentence: He was laughing like a clown at a birthday party, making everyone else around him join in whether they got the joke or not.
Other Ways to Say: Boisterous laughter, Joyful and theatrical chuckling
8. Laughing like a kettle ready to whistle
Meaning: Laughing so hard it builds up pressure, like a kettle about to scream.
In a Sentence: I was laughing like a kettle ready to whistle — my face turned red, tears came down, and I knew any second I’d let out the loudest sound ever.
Other Ways to Say: About to explode with laughter, Laughing to the boiling point
9. Laughing like a jack-in-the-box
Meaning: Laughing suddenly and unexpectedly, often with surprise.
In a Sentence: The moment she hit the punchline, I was laughing like a jack-in-the-box that had been waiting to pop for ages.
Other Ways to Say: Jumping with laughter, Startled into giggles
10. Laughing like a hiccuping baby
Meaning: Laughing with pure, uncontrollable joy, usually soft and infectious.
In a Sentence: She was laughing like a hiccuping baby, and soon everyone in the room was smiling and chuckling just from hearing her.
Other Ways to Say: Innocent laughter, Joyful and sweet giggles
11. Laughing like thunder rolling through the sky
Meaning: Laughing deeply and powerfully, echoing through the room.
In a Sentence: His laugh filled the whole hall like thunder rolling through the sky during a summer storm, making heads turn and faces light up.
Other Ways to Say: Booming laughter, Roaring with joy
12. Laughing like a rooster at sunrise
Meaning: Laughing loudly and confidently, especially early or unexpectedly.
In a Sentence: He cracked the joke at 6 AM and started laughing like a rooster at sunrise, completely waking up the whole household.
Other Ways to Say: Proud and loud laugh, Sunrise giggles
13. Laughing like wind chimes in a breeze
Meaning: Laughing in a soft, musical, and delicate way.
In a Sentence: Her laughter danced through the air like wind chimes in a breeze — light, sparkling, and comforting to hear.
Other Ways to Say: Delicate laughter, Musical giggling
14. Laughing like a wolf howling at the moon
Meaning: Laughing wildly and freely, without any concern for volume or manners.
In a Sentence: When the teacher accidentally said something funny, we were all laughing like wolves howling at the moon and couldn’t hold it in.
Other Ways to Say: Wild laughter, Unrestrained hilarity
15. Laughing like bubbles rising in soda
Meaning: Laughing in a fizzy, ticklish, and effervescent way.
In a Sentence: I was laughing like bubbles rising in soda, every giggle escaping my lips in a bubbly, happy rhythm.
Other Ways to Say: Fizzy laughter, Sparkling chuckles
16. Laughing like maracas in a salsa band
Meaning: Laughing with rhythm, excitement, and energy that fills the space.
In a Sentence: She couldn’t stop laughing like maracas in a salsa band, shaking with joy and setting the whole room into a party mood.
Other Ways to Say: Rhythmic giggling, Joyful and vibrant laughter
17. Laughing like a sneeze that won’t stop
Meaning: Laughing repeatedly, almost uncontrollably, and sometimes surprisingly.
In a Sentence: I was laughing like a sneeze that won’t stop, just burst after burst until I had to catch my breath.
Other Ways to Say: Unstoppable giggles, Rapid-fire laughter
18. Laughing like a balloon letting out air
Meaning: Laughing in a drawn-out, silly, sometimes wheezy way.
In a Sentence: He let out this squeaky, drawn laugh that had us laughing like balloons letting out air across the classroom.
Other Ways to Say: Silly laughter, Deflating giggles
19. Laughing like a room full of tickled kids
Meaning: Laughing in pure, innocent, contagious joy.
In a Sentence: We were laughing like a room full of tickled kids when the dog started dancing to the ringtone.
Other Ways to Say: Childlike giggles, Contagious laughter
20. Laughing like a fox who got into the henhouse
Meaning: Laughing in a sly, victorious, and mischievous way.
In a Sentence: After his clever prank worked perfectly, he was laughing like a fox who got into the henhouse and got away with it.
Other Ways to Say: Sneaky chuckle, Mischievous grin
21. Laughing like a magician revealing his trick
Meaning: Laughing with glee after surprising someone.
In a Sentence: He burst out laughing like a magician revealing his trick once we realized he’d been wearing mismatched shoes all along.
Other Ways to Say: Joyful reveal laugh, Playful amusement
22. Laughing like the sun breaking through the clouds
Meaning: Laughing brightly and suddenly after a dull or sad moment.
In a Sentence: Her laugh came out like the sun breaking through the clouds after a long day — warming us all at once.
Other Ways to Say: Bright and surprising laughter, Sunshine giggles
23. Laughing like crayons spilling on the floor
Meaning: Laughing in colorful, scattered bursts of joy.
In a Sentence: I laughed like crayons spilling on the floor — each chuckle bouncing in a new direction, playful and full of color.
Other Ways to Say: Scattered giggles, Playful bursts
24. Laughing like water boiling over
Meaning: Laughing so hard that it spills out uncontrollably.
In a Sentence: I tried to keep it in, but I ended up laughing like water boiling over — it just bubbled and burst out of me.
Other Ways to Say: Overflowing laughter, Boiling with joy
25. Laughing like a hiccuping seal
Meaning: Laughing in short, odd, funny bursts that make others laugh too.
In a Sentence: His weird little gasps had us laughing like hiccuping seals on a beach during a comedy show.
Other Ways to Say: Funny-snort laughter, Bursty and odd giggling
26. Laughing like dominoes falling
Meaning: Laughing in a chain reaction, where one person sets off everyone else.
In a Sentence: The moment I laughed, everyone followed — we were all laughing like dominoes falling one after another.
Other Ways to Say: Chain reaction of laughter, Contagious giggles
27. Laughing like confetti being tossed
Meaning: Laughing in a joyful, celebratory way that feels festive.
In a Sentence: Her laugh sparkled like confetti being tossed into the air during a celebration.
Other Ways to Say: Joyful bursts, Celebration giggles
28. Laughing like shoes squeaking in a hallway
Meaning: Laughing in a way that’s loud, awkward, but funny.
In a Sentence: We were laughing like shoes squeaking in a hallway — unexpected, awkward, and somehow hilarious.
Other Ways to Say: Squeaky chuckles, Goofy giggles
29. Laughing like fireworks on New Year’s Eve
Meaning: Laughing explosively with energy and festivity.
In a Sentence: The whole group exploded into laughter like fireworks on New Year’s Eve the moment the teacher told that surprise joke.
Other Ways to Say: Bursting into laughter, Sparkling joy
30. Laughing like pencils snapping in class
Meaning: Laughing unexpectedly and sharply, breaking the silence.
In a Sentence: The room was silent until he laughed like pencils snapping in class — sudden, sharp, and impossible to ignore.
Other Ways to Say: Breaking the silence with laughter, Sudden outburst
31. Laughing like bells ringing in a church
Meaning: Laughing in a clear, joyful, and harmonious way that fills the space.
In a Sentence: She was laughing like bells ringing in a church tower, each note bright and echoing through the room with happiness.
Other Ways to Say: Clear laughter, Musical joy
32. Laughing like a roller coaster going downhill
Meaning: Laughing fast, loud, and with unstoppable momentum.
In a Sentence: The joke hit me so hard, I was laughing like a roller coaster going downhill, fast and loud and unable to stop.
Other Ways to Say: Speedy laughter, Screaming with joy
33. Laughing like a zipper stuck halfway
Meaning: Laughing awkwardly, often when trying to hold it in.
In a Sentence: I tried not to laugh in class, but it came out like a zipper stuck halfway — jerky and half-hidden, but still obvious.
Other Ways to Say: Awkward giggles, Stifled laughter
34. Laughing like jelly wobbling on a plate
Meaning: Laughing so hard your whole body moves or shakes.
In a Sentence: He was laughing like jelly wobbling on a plate, shaking from head to toe with every giggle.
Other Ways to Say: Full-body laugh, Trembling with joy
35. Laughing like a frog croaking in the rain
Meaning: Laughing in a funny, throaty, sometimes weird but joyful way.
In a Sentence: His voice cracked while he laughed like a frog croaking in the rain, and it made us laugh even harder.
Other Ways to Say: Raspy giggles, Funny-throated laughter
36. Laughing like a pack of cards collapsing
Meaning: Laughing suddenly and all at once, with complete loss of composure.
In a Sentence: We all burst out laughing like a pack of cards collapsing — nothing could hold us up after that ridiculous story.
Other Ways to Say: Collapsing with laughter, Falling apart from joy
37. Laughing like popcorn popping in a pan
Meaning: Laughing in repeated bursts, randomly and with energy.
In a Sentence: Everyone was laughing like popcorn popping in a pan, one after another, scattered but full of fun.
Other Ways to Say: Popping giggles, Energetic laughter
38. Laughing like tires squealing on pavement
Meaning: Laughing suddenly and loudly, catching everyone’s attention.
In a Sentence: His laugh came out like tires squealing on pavement — sharp, loud, and completely unexpected.
Other Ways to Say: Screechy laugh, Loud and fast
39. Laughing like a cat knocking things off the table
Meaning: Laughing with mischief and a little bit of chaos.
In a Sentence: I laughed like a cat knocking things off the table — unapologetic, wild, and having way too much fun.
Other Ways to Say: Mischievous laughter, Chaotic joy
40. Laughing like a zipper flying open
Meaning: Laughing suddenly and wide open — almost embarrassingly.
In a Sentence: His laugh burst out like a zipper flying open, unexpected and impossible to ignore.
Other Ways to Say: Blurted-out laughter, Abrupt and wide-open giggling
41. Laughing like a duck waddling in rain boots
Meaning: Laughing in a silly, awkward, yet charming way.
In a Sentence: She laughed like a duck waddling in rain boots — clumsy, adorable, and making everyone smile.
Other Ways to Say: Goofy laughter, Endearing chuckles
42. Laughing like a sneeze in a quiet room
Meaning: Laughing unexpectedly in a silent setting, breaking the tension.
In a Sentence: The silence didn’t last — he laughed like a sneeze in a quiet room and completely broke the ice.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpected laughter, Out-of-nowhere chuckle
43. Laughing like a video buffering on bad Wi-Fi
Meaning: Laughing in stutters or delayed giggles.
In a Sentence: My laugh came out like a video buffering on bad Wi-Fi — slow, weird, and eventually unstoppable.
Other Ways to Say: Delayed laughter, Broken giggles
44. Laughing like a jackhammer on a sidewalk
Meaning: Laughing so hard and loud, it shakes the room.
In a Sentence: He was laughing like a jackhammer on a sidewalk — loud, nonstop, and impossible to talk over.
Other Ways to Say: Ground-shaking laughter, Loud bursts
45. Laughing like a spring bouncing on a mattress
Meaning: Laughing with energy that lifts and bounces in rhythm.
In a Sentence: I was laughing like a spring bouncing on a mattress, up and down with every punchline.
Other Ways to Say: Bouncy laughter, Rebounding joy
46. Laughing like rain tapping on a tin roof
Meaning: Laughing in soft, consistent taps, peaceful and rhythmic.
In a Sentence: Her laugh was like rain tapping on a tin roof, calming and repetitive, but always sweet.
Other Ways to Say: Soothing laughter, Gentle joy
47. Laughing like wind whipping through a canyon
Meaning: Laughing wildly, echoing and bouncing off the space around.
In a Sentence: Our laughter echoed like wind whipping through a canyon, bouncing off the walls in loud waves.
Other Ways to Say: Echoing laughter, Wild and vast
48. Laughing like a kid who got away with something
Meaning: Laughing with naughty glee and innocent mischief.
In a Sentence: She giggled like a kid who got away with something, eyes sparkling with joy and a touch of mischief.
Other Ways to Say: Sneaky laugh, Joyful rebellion
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the best simile for laughing:
- When I saw my brother trip over the dog’s toy, I was laughing like a _______.
- During the school play, I burst out laughing like _______ rolling through the sky.
- She was laughing like a _______ on New Year’s Eve when the confetti cannon went off.
- I tried not to laugh in the library, but it came out like a _______ in a quiet room.
- He giggled like a _______ in rain boots when the clown slipped on a banana.
- We all started laughing like _______ falling, one after another.
- My little cousin laughed like a _______ hiccuping after seeing the puppet show.
- I laughed like _______ popping in a pan every time he told a new joke.
- His laugh echoed like _______ whipping through the canyon.
- She laughed like a _______ who got away with stealing cookies.
Answers
- hyena
- thunder
- fireworks
- sneeze
- duck
- dominoes
- baby
- popcorn
- wind
- kid
Conclusion
Similes are a wonderful way to show the flavor and rhythm of laughter — whether it’s soft as wind chimes or loud as a jackhammer. By comparing laughter to the world around us, we turn simple expressions into vivid images that are easier to understand, fun to read, and even more fun to write. Whether you’re laughing like a fox in the henhouse or like a bubbling brook, remember — each laugh tells its own story.
Keep practicing these similes, try using them in your writing or conversations, and bring your words to life with every laugh!