Guffawing

Guffawing is the act of laughing loudly and boisterously. It implies a hearty and unrestrained expression of mirth, often accompanied by open-mouthed sounds and body language reflecting amusement. This laughter usually suggests genuine enjoyment, sometimes bordering on the uproarious. It often involves a contagious quality, causing others to laugh along. The intensity of guffawing distinguishes it from more subtle forms of laughter like chuckling or giggling; it signals a deep and often uninhibited pleasure taken in something. The origins are most likely onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of a deep, unrestrained laugh.

Guffawing meaning with examples

• As the comedian delivered his punchline, the audience erupted into a chorus of guffawing. Sarah, sitting in the front row, was doubled over, tears streaming down her face from the sheer hilarity of the joke, with her booming laughter filling the theatre.
• The old friends, reunited after many years, reminisced about their shared adventures. Their memories led to guffawing, as they recalled inside jokes and ridiculous situations they'd found themselves in during their youth, reliving their youth together.
• The slapstick comedy show on TV prompted the family to enjoy a collective session of guffawing. Even the usually stoic grandfather cracked a smile, his chest shaking with the force of the unexpected comedic outbursts happening every minute.
• After a particularly unexpected plot twist, the novel had the reader guffawing out loud at 3 am, with the unexpected surprise. Despite the late hour, the reader could not contain their amusement.