Laughter is universal, transcending cultures and languages. It’s not only a response to humor, but also a social signal among people. To add color to conversations about laughter, various expressions and idioms have evolved in the English language. This post explores 20 popular expressions related to laughter, providing you with their meanings and examples. These phrases can enrich your vocabulary and help you express the joy of laughter more vividly in everyday conversations.
Expressions Related to Laughter
1. Burst out laughing
Meaning: To suddenly start laughing.
Example: When he slipped on the banana peel, everyone burst out laughing.
2. Laughing stock
Meaning: A person made fun of by others.
Example: He became the laughing stock of the office after that prank.
3. Die laughing
Meaning: Laugh a lot or extremely hard.
Example: That joke was so funny, I almost died laughing.
4. Have the last laugh
Meaning: To ultimately succeed after being doubted.
Example: They ridiculed his ideas, but he had the last laugh when his invention succeeded.
5. Laugh up one’s sleeve
Meaning: To be secretly amused.
Example: She was laughing up her sleeve when he couldn’t find the salt shaker she’d hidden.
6. No laughing matter
Meaning: A serious issue, not funny.
Example: This financial crisis is no laughing matter.
7. Laugh your head off
Meaning: Laugh very loudly or uncontrollably.
Example: The movie was so hilarious, we laughed our heads off.
8. Roll in the aisles
Meaning: To laugh a lot, used especially for audiences.
Example: The comedian had everyone rolling in the aisles.
9. Laugh oneself silly
Meaning: To laugh excessively.
Example: We watched a comedy show and laughed ourselves silly.
10. Crack someone up
Meaning: To make someone laugh.
Example: His impressions really crack me up.
11. Split one’s sides
Meaning: To laugh extremely hard.
Example: That sketch was so funny, I nearly split my sides.
12. In stitches
Meaning: Laughing so much that it hurts.
Example: The joke left us in stitches.
13. Keep a straight face
Meaning: To remain serious and not laugh.
Example: I couldn’t keep a straight face during his funny speech.
14. Wipe the smile off someone’s face
Meaning: To cause someone to stop feeling happy or smug.
Example: The final score wiped the smile off the opposing team’s faces.
15. Grin from ear to ear
Meaning: To smile broadly.
Example: He was grinning from ear to ear after winning the award.
16. Laugh all the way to the bank
Meaning: To profit from something particularly easily.
Example: Despite the critics, the movie’s producer laughed all the way to the bank.
17. Giggle at a funeral
Meaning: To laugh at a serious or solemn event.
Example: He has a habit of giggling at funerals.
18. Belly laugh
Meaning: A deep and hearty laugh.
Example: The play provoked belly laughs from the audience.
19. Tickle someone’s funny bone
Meaning: To amuse someone.
Example: The speech tickled everyone’s funny bone.
20. Can’t take a joke
Meaning: To be unable to handle humorous remarks or situations.
Example: He gets offended easily; he can’t take a joke.
