Guffaw
n.joyful, energeticplayful
What it means
A loud, hearty burst of genuine laughter.
Reach for it when naming a sudden, loud burst of wholehearted laughter
His perfect imitation drew a guffaw from the whole crew.
Choose between these
6- playful
belly laugh
deep, physical amusement is affectionately emphasized
not when A belly laugh can continue for several moments rather than erupt as one burst.
- playful
cackle
sharp repeated laughter creates comic texture
not when Cackle can mock the laugher and often carries an unkind caricature.
- everyday
volume and style do not matter
not when Laugh is neutral and loses the force and abruptness of a guffaw.
- warm
burst of laughter
plain language should capture the sudden reaction
not when The phrase does not establish the loud, hearty quality that defines a guffaw.
- literary
chortle
pleased, partly restrained amusement suits the moment
not when A chortle is quieter and can sound smug, unlike an open guffaw.
- literary
roar of laughter
a group or person laughs with overwhelming volume
not when Roar of laughter is stronger and more sustained than every guffaw.
Said against
3- sob
- silence
- whimper
It naturally appears in
3- loud guffaw
A loud guffaw escaped him before he could cover his mouth.
- hearty guffaw
Her hearty guffaw released the tension around the table.
- draw a guffaw
The actor's perfectly timed pause can draw a guffaw.
Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English noun sense: loud or boisterous laugh opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.