Laughing
adj.joyful, energeticwarm
What it means
Actively expressing amusement through laughter or a visibly merry manner.
Reach for it when describing people, faces, or voices alive with shared amusement
The laughing cousins leaned together as they replayed the harmless mistake.
Choose between these
6- playful
light repeated laughter defines the scene
not when Giggling can make mature subjects sound juvenile.
- playful
excited pleasure has a mischievous edge
not when Gleeful risks suggesting triumph at somebody else's cost.
- everyday
a generally pleasant mood matters more than audible laughter
not when Cheerful does not show that someone is laughing at this moment.
- everyday
visible happiness is enough and no sound is involved
not when Smiling understates a scene filled with laughter.
- formal
a person's hearty sociability is the enduring trait
not when Jovial describes temperament rather than the immediate act.
- literary
sociable high spirits suit a festive scene
not when Merry may feel seasonal or old-fashioned in plain description.
Said against
3- weeping
- somber
- unsmiling
It naturally appears in
3- laughing child
A laughing child chased bubbles across the courtyard.
- laughing face
Her laughing face reassured the nervous performers.
- laughing crowd
The laughing crowd welcomed the comedian back for an encore.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- merriam-webster, adjective sense 1 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.