chuckle
/ˈtʃʌk(ə)l
/verb [no object]
Laugh quietly or inwardly: I chuckled at the astonishment on her face...
- The King's official looked at his clerk, and chuckled quietly, shaking his head.
- They must have also given me something else because I was suddenly very happy: chuckling away in manic fashion.
- I can almost picture Johnson chuckling to himself when he read this critique of his book.
Synonyms
chortle, giggle, titter, laugh quietly, tee-hee, snicker, snigger;
crow
noun
A quiet or suppressed laugh: Melissa gave a chuckle...
- And now imagine the quiet chuckle Dylan is having at the fuss he's caused.
- You always have the feeling they're suppressing the chuckle just until they're off camera.
- Much to her surprise and frustration, the man seemed to be trying to suppress a chuckle.
Derivatives
chuckler
- Every Saturday, a merry band of chucklers invites visitors to pack up their troubles and join in.
- This is yet another post-election chuckler, and another example of shaping the news.
- He is soft-spoken, a chuckler, who is of the supportive school of managers.
Origin
Late 16th century (in the sense 'laugh convulsively'): from chuck meaning 'to cluck' in late Middle English.