Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Showing or expressing mirth, amusement, or happiness: Characterized by or producing laughter; having a cheerful, joyful appearance or sound.
   • Provoking laughter; amusing: Describing something that is ridiculous or laughable.

Usage

The adjective "laughing" is used to describe a person, group, sound, or expression that is engaged in or characterized by laughter. It can also describe a situation that is so absurd it invites derisive laughter.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The laughing audience filled the theater with joy.
  • We heard laughing voices coming from the next room.
  • She has a warm, laughing smile that puts everyone at ease.
  • His excuses were so ridiculous they were just laughing. (i.e., laughable)

Advanced Usage

• "no laughing matter": A serious issue or situation that should not be treated with amusement or joked about.
  • The climate crisis is no laughing matter.
• "laughing all the way to the bank": To make a lot of money easily, often while others doubted one's success.
  • After the critics panned his novel, it became a bestseller and he was laughing all the way to the bank.

Variants and Related Words

• Laugh (verb/noun): To make the spontaneous sounds and movements of the face and body that are the instinctive expressions of lively amusement. / The act or sound of laughing.
  • He couldn't help but laugh at the joke.
• Laughable (adjective): So ludicrous as to be amusing.
  • The proposal was so poorly researched it was laughable.
• Laughter (noun): The action or sound of laughing.
  • The room erupted in laughter.

Synonyms

• Chuckling: Laughing quietly or inwardly.
• Giggling: Laughing in a silly, often high-pitched way.
• Amused: Finding something funny or entertaining.
• Mirthful: Full of mirth; merry.

Phrasal Verbs / Related Verb Phrases

• Laugh at: To react with laughter to someone or something, sometimes in a mocking way.
  • It's not kind to laugh at someone's mistakes.
• Laugh off: To dismiss or minimize something (like criticism or a problem) by treating it with humor.
  • She tried to laugh off the embarrassing comment.

Related Idioms

• Die laughing: To laugh extremely hard.
  • That comedian is so funny, I nearly died laughing.
• Laugh in someone's face: To show open contempt or disrespect for someone by laughing at them directly.
  • When I asked for a raise, the boss just laughed in my face.

Adjective

1. showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
   • laughing children