titter

1 of 2

verb

tit·​ter ˈti-tər How to pronounce titter (audio)
tittered; tittering; titters
Synonyms of titternext

intransitive verb

: to laugh in a nervous, affected, or partly suppressed manner : giggle, snicker

titter

2 of 2

noun

plural titters
: a quiet or nervous laugh : an act or instance of tittering
There were a few titters from the students.
Most importantly, I can see the candidates' body language when they're off-camera and hear the murmurs and titters in the crowd.—Dana Milbank

Synonyms of titter

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of titter in a Sentence

Verb Some people in the audience tittered nervously during an awkward pause in the speech. even as students in the sex ed class continued to titter, the lecturer plowed ahead Noun a titter swept through the crowd at his verbal slip
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 be ready to titter away at its unbelievable twists and turns. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026 As each skated and waited for their scores to post, the crowd tittered with nervous unease. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
But not one single titter, giggle or full blown gale of laughter erupted from my mouth tonight. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2026 Even its occasional attempts at campy tongue-in-cheekiness seldom raise more than a titter. — Arthur Knight, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for titter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1711, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of titter was circa 1625

Rhymes for titter

See All Rhymes for titter

Browse Nearby Words

titted
titter
titterel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

titter

verb
tit·​ter ˈtit-ər How to pronounce titter (audio)
: to laugh in a nervous manner or while trying to hold the laugh back
titter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on titter

Nglish: Translation of titter for Spanish Speakers

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