giggle

1 of 3

verb

gig·​gle ˈgi-gəl How to pronounce giggle (audio)
giggled; giggling ˈgi-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce giggle (audio)
Synonyms of giggle

intransitive verb

: to laugh with repeated short catches of the breath

transitive verb

: to utter with a giggle
giggler
ˈgi-g(ə-)lər How to pronounce giggle (audio)
noun
gigglingly
ˈgi-g(ə-)liŋ-lē How to pronounce giggle (audio)
adverb
giggly
ˈgi-g(ə-)lē How to pronounce giggle (audio)
adjective

giggle

2 of 3

noun

1
: the act of giggling
2
chiefly British : a source of amusement

giggly

3 of 3

adjective

gig·​gly ˈgig(ə)lē How to pronounce giggly (audio)
-li
-er/-est
: prone to giggling
hospitable, faintly giggly, and shy—Harper's

Synonyms of giggle

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Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of giggle in a Sentence

Verb She giggled like a little kid. We were all joking and giggling nervously as we waited for the ceremony to begin. Noun poking fun at the royal family is nothing new, but this movie comedy has a few giggles you haven't heard before couldn't help but giggle at his remark
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
But Alexca, a bubbly toddler who giggles and runs about, has conquered her grandmother’s heart. — Julie Watson, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 After the second ace, Williams was giggling, seemingly in disbelief, at how quickly things had come together in her first match back. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Noun
Smith’s memories of the inseparable pair are a blur of giggles and teenage girl high jinks. — Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026 These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for giggle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1509, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

circa 1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of giggle was in 1509

Rhymes for giggle

See All Rhymes for giggle

Browse Nearby Words

gigger
giggle
giggler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Giggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giggle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

giggle

verb
gig·​gle
ˈgig-əl
giggled; giggling
-(ə-)liŋ
: to laugh with repeated short high sounds
giggle noun
giggly
-(ə-)lē
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on giggle

Nglish: Translation of giggle for Spanish Speakers

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