Laughter is a universal language that brings people together, brightens moods, and adds a spark of joy to any moment, and idioms about laughing capture this vibrant emotion in colorful, creative ways. These expressions paint vivid pictures of the act of laughing, from subtle chuckles to uncontrollable guffaws, and they can make conversations about humor and happiness far more engaging and lively. In this comprehensive listicle, we’ll dive into 59 idioms related to laughing, unpacking their meanings and showcasing how they can add flair to your discussions about those moments that make you burst into laughter. So, let’s explore this treasure trove of idioms and discover how they bring the spirit of laughter to life!
What is an Idiom for Laughing?
Idioms for laughing are figurative expressions that describe the act of laughing, the situations that provoke it, or the emotions tied to humor in a creative and often humorous way. These phrases go beyond literal descriptions, using metaphors, similes, and playful imagery to convey the joy, amusement, or even absurdity of laughter. Whether you’re describing a quiet giggle or a belly-shaking roar, these idioms make your conversations more vivid and relatable. Let’s break down each idiom and explore its meaning with a sentence to bring it to life:
Idioms for Laughing
1. Laughing Your Head Off
Meaning: To laugh uncontrollably or very intensely, as if the laughter is so powerful it could metaphorically cause your head to come off.
In a Sentence: When her friend tripped over the chair in the middle of the quiet library, she was laughing her head off, unable to contain her amusement at the clumsy moment.
2. Crack Up
Meaning: To burst into sudden, often uncontrollable laughter, sometimes at something unexpected or absurd.
In a Sentence: The comedian’s unexpected punchline about the talking dog made the entire audience crack up, filling the room with waves of laughter.
3. In Stitches
Meaning: To be laughing so hard that it feels like your sides are being stitched together from the effort, often due to something hilarious.
In a Sentence: His ridiculous impression of their grumpy teacher left the class in stitches, with everyone clutching their stomachs from laughing so hard.
4. Bust a Gut
Meaning: To laugh so intensely that it feels like your stomach might burst from the effort, emphasizing the physicality of the laughter.
In a Sentence: When her little brother tried to dance like a pop star and fell flat on his face, she busted a gut, unable to stop laughing at his dramatic tumble.
5. Roll in the Aisles
Meaning: To laugh so much that you’re figuratively rolling on the floor or in the aisles of a theater, typically in response to something extremely funny.
In a Sentence: The play’s slapstick scene with the runaway chicken had the audience rolling in the aisles, their laughter echoing through the theater.
6. Laugh Out Loud
Meaning: To laugh audibly and openly, often abbreviated as “LOL” in digital communication, indicating genuine amusement.
In a Sentence: When her friend sent a meme of a cat wearing sunglasses, she laughed out loud, startling everyone in the quiet coffee shop.
7. Chuckle to Yourself
Meaning: To laugh quietly or softly to oneself, often over a private or subtle joke or amusing thought.
In a Sentence: As he remembered the awkward moment when his boss mispronounced his name, he chuckled to himself while walking down the street.
8. Giggle Like a Schoolgirl
Meaning: To laugh in a light, high-pitched, and playful way, often associated with youthful or innocent amusement.
In a Sentence: When her crush sent her a sweet text message, she giggled like a schoolgirl, unable to hide her excitement and joy.
9. Howl with Laughter
Meaning: To laugh loudly and uncontrollably, like a wolf howling, often in response to something outrageously funny.
In a Sentence: The group howled with laughter when their friend accidentally wore mismatched shoes to the formal event, turning the mishap into a hilarious memory.
10. Snort with Laughter
Meaning: To laugh so hard that you make a snorting sound, often involuntarily, due to the intensity of the amusement.
In a Sentence: When her sister told a ridiculous joke about a dancing cow, she snorted with laughter, embarrassed but unable to stop.
11. Tickle Your Funny Bone
Meaning: To find something amusing or funny, as if it’s stimulating the metaphorical “funny bone” in your body.
In a Sentence: The quirky cartoon about a clumsy penguin really tickled her funny bone, making her smile every time she watched it.
12. Laugh Like a Drain
Meaning: To laugh loudly and continuously, with a sound that resembles water gurgling down a drain.
In a Sentence: His over-the-top impersonation of a grumpy cat had everyone laughing like a drain, their laughter echoing through the room.
13. Fall About Laughing
Meaning: To laugh so much that you’re figuratively falling over or collapsing from the hilarity of the situation.
In a Sentence: When their dog stole a slice of pizza and ran around the house with it, the family fell about laughing at the absurd sight.
14. Laugh Your Socks Off
Meaning: To laugh so hard that it feels like your socks could come off, emphasizing the intensity and joy of the moment.
In a Sentence: The comedian’s story about getting lost in a supermarket had the crowd laughing their socks off, tears streaming down their faces.
15. Have a Good Laugh
Meaning: To enjoy a hearty or satisfying session of laughter, often shared with others over something amusing.
In a Sentence: They had a good laugh together when they recalled the time they got stuck in an elevator during a power outage.
16. Laugh Up Your Sleeve
Meaning: To laugh secretly or discreetly, often at someone else’s expense, while hiding your amusement.
In a Sentence: When her coworker bragged about his “perfect” presentation but forgot his lines, she laughed up her sleeve, keeping her amusement to herself.
17. Laugh Like a Hyena
Meaning: To laugh in a loud, high-pitched, and somewhat wild manner, resembling the distinctive cackle of a hyena.
In a Sentence: The ridiculous prank video they watched online had them laughing like hyenas, their cackles filling the living room.
18. Double Over with Laughter
Meaning: To laugh so hard that you bend forward or “double over” from the physical effort of laughing.
In a Sentence: When her friend tried to sing opera and hit a comically bad note, she doubled over with laughter, barely able to breathe.
19. Laugh Until You Cry
Meaning: To laugh so intensely that tears form in your eyes, blending joy with the physical reaction of crying.
In a Sentence: The video of a toddler arguing with a dog over a toy had her laughing until she cried, wiping tears from her cheeks.
20. Get a Kick Out of
Meaning: To find something highly amusing or enjoyable, often resulting in laughter or a sense of delight.
In a Sentence: She got a kick out of watching her cat chase its own tail, laughing at the silly spectacle every time it happened.
21. Laugh It Off
Meaning: To dismiss or cope with an embarrassing or awkward situation by laughing, rather than taking it seriously.
In a Sentence: When he spilled coffee on his shirt during the meeting, he laughed it off, making light of the clumsy moment.
22. Laugh in Someone’s Face
Meaning: To laugh openly or mockingly at someone, often in a way that feels dismissive or rude.
In a Sentence: When he claimed he could finish the marathon without training, his friends laughed in his face, doubting his bold statement.
23. Have the Last Laugh
Meaning: To ultimately succeed or prove someone wrong after being doubted or mocked, resulting in a satisfying moment of triumph.
In a Sentence: After everyone doubted her ability to ace the exam, she had the last laugh when her perfect score was announced.
24. Laugh Like Nobody’s Watching
Meaning: To laugh freely and without self-consciousness, as if no one is observing or judging you.
In a Sentence: At the family reunion, she laughed like nobody’s watching, letting loose with loud guffaws at her uncle’s silly stories.
25. Burst Out Laughing
Meaning: To suddenly start laughing loudly and uncontrollably, often triggered by something unexpected.
In a Sentence: When the serious news anchor mispronounced a word in a hilarious way, the entire room burst out laughing.
26. Laugh Your Heart Out
Meaning: To laugh with full enthusiasm and joy, putting your whole heart into the act of laughing.
In a Sentence: Watching the comedy show with her best friends, she laughed her heart out, feeling lighter than ever.
27. Split Your Sides
Meaning: To laugh so hard that it feels like your sides might split from the effort, emphasizing intense amusement.
In a Sentence: The comedian’s story about a disastrous camping trip had the audience splitting their sides with laughter.
28. Laugh Like a Kid
Meaning: To laugh with the carefree, uninhibited joy typical of a child, often full of innocence and delight.
In a Sentence: When they played a silly board game, they laughed like kids, forgetting their adult worries for a moment.
29. Roar with Laughter
Meaning: To laugh very loudly and deeply, like a lion’s roar, often in response to something uproariously funny.
In a Sentence: The group roared with laughter when their friend tried to imitate a famous singer and failed spectacularly.
30. Laugh to Yourself
Meaning: To laugh quietly or internally, often over a private thought or subtle amusement.
In a Sentence: As she overheard a funny conversation on the bus, she laughed to herself, keeping her amusement discreet.
31. Die Laughing
Meaning: To laugh so hard that it feels like you might die from the intensity, though it’s an exaggeration of joy.
In a Sentence: The viral video of a goat fainting at the sight of a balloon had her dying laughing, replaying it over and over.
32. Laugh Like Crazy
Meaning: To laugh wildly and uncontrollably, often in a state of pure, chaotic amusement.
In a Sentence: When their dog ran through the house with a sock in its mouth, they laughed like crazy, chasing after it.
33. Laugh on the Other Side of Your Face
Meaning: To experience regret or disappointment after initially laughing or being smug about something.
In a Sentence: He laughed at her warning about the tricky test, but he laughed on the other side of his face when he failed it.
34. Laugh All the Way to the Bank
Meaning: To laugh joyfully while profiting or succeeding, often at others’ expense or disbelief.
In a Sentence: After her quirky invention sold millions, she laughed all the way to the bank, proving her doubters wrong.
35. Laugh Something Out of Court
Meaning: To dismiss or reject something as ridiculous or unworthy of serious consideration, often with laughter.
In a Sentence: When he suggested they could finish the project in one day, they laughed it out of court, knowing it was impossible.
36. Laugh in the Face of Danger
Meaning: To respond to a threatening or serious situation with bold, fearless laughter, showing courage or defiance.
In a Sentence: Even when the storm raged outside, she laughed in the face of danger, confident they’d make it through.
37. Laugh Yourself Silly
Meaning: To laugh so much that you feel foolish or giddy, often losing control in a playful way.
In a Sentence: Watching the blooper reel from their favorite movie, they laughed themselves silly, unable to stop giggling.
38. Laugh at the Drop of a Hat
Meaning: To laugh easily or quickly, often over small or trivial things, indicating a cheerful disposition.
In a Sentence: Her brother laughed at the drop of a hat, finding humor in every little mishap or silly comment.
39. Laugh Your Way Through
Meaning: To use laughter to cope with or navigate a difficult or challenging situation, making it more bearable.
In a Sentence: During the stressful group project, they laughed their way through, finding humor in their mistakes.
40. Laugh Like a Maniac
Meaning: To laugh in a wild, frenzied, or slightly unhinged way, often exaggerating the intensity of amusement.
In a Sentence: When he saw his friend’s over-the-top Halloween costume, he laughed like a maniac, startling everyone nearby.
41. Laugh Until Your Sides Ache
Meaning: To laugh so long and hard that your sides physically hurt from the effort, emphasizing prolonged amusement.
In a Sentence: The stand-up comedian’s routine was so funny that they laughed until their sides ached, begging for a break.
42. Laugh Like There’s No Tomorrow
Meaning: To laugh with abandon and enthusiasm, as if it’s your last chance to enjoy the moment.
In a Sentence: At the comedy club, they laughed like there was no tomorrow, savoring every hilarious moment.
43. Laugh to Keep from Crying
Meaning: To use laughter as a way to cope with sadness or frustration, avoiding tears through humor.
In a Sentence: When her car broke down again, she laughed to keep from crying, finding humor in her bad luck.
44. Laugh Under Your Breath
Meaning: To laugh quietly or subtly, often to avoid drawing attention or offending someone.
In a Sentence: When her boss made an unintentionally funny comment, she laughed under her breath, hiding her amusement.
45. Laugh Like a Barrel of Monkeys
Meaning: To laugh in a lively, contagious, and playful way, like a group of monkeys causing chaos.
In a Sentence: The kids laughed like a barrel of monkeys while playing their silly game, their joy infectious.
46. Laugh Your Eyes Out
Meaning: To laugh so hard that it feels like your eyes might pop out, often with tears of joy.
In a Sentence: The prank they pulled on their friend was so perfect that they laughed their eyes out, tears streaming down.
47. Laugh Fit to Burst
Meaning: To laugh so intensely that it feels like you might burst from the effort, emphasizing overwhelming amusement.
In a Sentence: The absurd cartoon had them laughing fit to burst, unable to contain their glee.
48. Laugh Like a Lunatic
Meaning: To laugh in a wild, exaggerated, or slightly crazy way, often drawing attention to the intensity.
In a Sentence: When he saw the dog wearing tiny boots, he laughed like a lunatic, startling everyone in the park.
49. Laugh Yourself Hoarse
Meaning: To laugh so much that your voice becomes hoarse or strained from the effort.
In a Sentence: After hours of watching funny videos, they laughed themselves hoarse, their voices barely audible.
50. Laugh Like a Jackass
Meaning: To laugh in a loud, braying, or somewhat foolish way, often drawing attention to the sound.
In a Sentence: His ridiculous joke about a talking vegetable had them laughing like jackasses, their loud guffaws echoing.
51. Laugh Your Guts Out
Meaning: To laugh so hard that it feels like your insides are coming out, emphasizing extreme amusement.
In a Sentence: The comedian’s story about a disastrous date had them laughing their guts out, clutching their stomachs.
52. Laugh Like a Witch
Meaning: To laugh in a cackling, high-pitched, or mischievous way, reminiscent of a stereotypical witch’s laugh.
In a Sentence: When her prank succeeded, she laughed like a witch, her cackle adding to the spooky vibe.
53. Laugh Yourself to Death
Meaning: To laugh so intensely that it feels like you might die from the effort, an exaggeration of extreme joy.
In a Sentence: The viral video of a cat playing the piano had her laughing herself to death, replaying it endlessly.
54. Laugh Like a Clown
Meaning: To laugh in a loud, exaggerated, or performative way, like a clown entertaining an audience.
In a Sentence: His over-the-top reaction to the silly joke had him laughing like a clown, drawing everyone’s attention.
55. Laugh Your Way to the Top
Meaning: To use humor or laughter to navigate challenges or achieve success, often with a positive attitude.
In a Sentence: With her witty humor, she laughed her way to the top, charming everyone in the competition.
56. Laugh Like a Madman
Meaning: To laugh in a wild, frenzied, or slightly unhinged way, often with a sense of chaos.
In a Sentence: When he saw his friend’s ridiculous dance moves, he laughed like a madman, unable to control himself.
57. Laugh Like a Child
Meaning: To laugh with the pure, uninhibited joy and innocence typical of a young child.
In a Sentence: Watching the puppies play in the park, they laughed like children, their hearts full of delight.
58. Laugh Your Tail Off
Meaning: To laugh so hard that it feels like your “tail” (or body) is coming off, emphasizing intense amusement.
In a Sentence: The comedy sketch about a robot therapist had them laughing their tails off, tears in their eyes.
59. Laugh Like the World’s Ending
Meaning: To laugh with reckless abandon, as if it’s the last moment to enjoy life’s humor.
In a Sentence: At the end-of-year party, they laughed like the world was ending, savoring every hilarious moment.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1: Laughing Your Head Off
What does the idiom “Laughing your head off” mean?
a) To laugh quietly
b) To laugh uncontrollably or intensely
c) To stop laughing suddenly
d) To laugh in embarrassment
Quiz 2: In Stitches
What is the meaning of “In stitches”?
a) To be sewing something
b) To be laughing so hard your sides hurt
c) To be in pain
d) To be confused
Quiz 3: Bust a Gut
When someone says, “Bust a gut,” what are they describing?
a) A medical condition
b) Intense laughter that feels like your stomach might burst
c) A quiet chuckle
d) A serious moment
Quiz 4: Roll in the Aisles
What does the idiom “Roll in the aisles” suggest?
a) To be bored
b) To laugh so much you’re figuratively rolling on the floor
c) To clean a theater
d) To leave a performance
Quiz 5: Tickle Your Funny Bone
What situation is described by the idiom “Tickle your funny bone”?
a) Finding something amusing or funny
b) Feeling physically tickled
c) Being annoyed
d) Ignoring a joke
Quiz 6: Laugh Like a Hyena
If someone is “laughing like a hyena,” what does it mean?
a) They are crying loudly
b) They are laughing loudly and wildly
c) They are whispering
d) They are silent
Quiz 7: Double Over with Laughter
What does the expression “Double over with laughter” imply?
a) To bend forward from intense laughter
b) To stop laughing
c) To laugh quietly
d) To fall asleep
Quiz 8: Laugh Until You Cry
When is it appropriate to say, “Laugh until you cry”?
a) When someone is sad
b) When laughter is so intense it causes tears
c) When laughter stops abruptly
d) When someone is angry
Quiz 9: Have the Last Laugh
What is the meaning of “Have the last laugh”?
a) To laugh the loudest
b) To succeed or prove someone wrong after being doubted
c) To laugh alone
d) To laugh quietly
Quiz 10: Laugh It Off
When someone advises you to “laugh it off,” what are they encouraging you to do?
a) Take a situation seriously
b) Dismiss an awkward moment with laughter
c) Cry about a problem
d) Ignore a situation completely
Answers:
- b
- b
- b
- b
- a
- b
- a
- b
- b
- b
Conclusion
Idioms for laughing are like bursts of joy in language, capturing the essence of humor and amusement in creative, vivid ways. Whether you’re chuckling quietly to yourself or roaring with laughter in a crowd, these expressions add color and personality to your conversations about life’s funniest moments. So, the next time you’re sharing a hilarious story or reacting to a comical situation, sprinkle in a few of these idioms to make your words as lively as your laughter!