HEE-HAWS Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

hee-haws 1 of 2

noun

plural of hee-haw

as in chuckles

an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement the humor may have been corny and obvious, but the audience responded with hearty hee-haws

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hee-haws

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hee-haw

as in laughs

to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound those hayseeds will hee-haw at even the dumbest jokes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hee-haws

Noun

Toward the end of the panel, Buttimer noted that Connaughton would have wanted to argue with each speaker, drawing chuckles from the audience.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026
Wickersham says, with only the slightest of chuckles, that every quarterback is something of a sociopath and likens them to politicians in the middle of a race.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of chuckles

Noun

Whittler kept trying to make it through the broadcast, but couldn’t contain her giggles.

— Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Her giggles kept interrupting the tune through much of her performance, and soon Pioneer Hall was laughing with her and cheering her through it.

— Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of giggles

Verb

Set the scene The Homestead screams quirky, artful, and vintage yet restored—capturing a whimsical, fairytale ambiance embellished with hints of Southern charm.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The issue, of course, stems from the sound of rider screams from the coaster drifting into the residential area.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of screams

Noun

Fortunately for us, there are plenty of ways to mix the two this weekend — from spa deals and rum-soaked revelry to a nostalgic hard rock show or a night of stress-busting belly laughs.

— Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
In Broad Strokes, Cohen pairs her signature belly laughs with plenty of gut punches.

— Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026

Definition of belly laughs

Noun

As executed, the 2019 show is an emotional yet refreshingly unsentimental black comedy that snickers in the face of empowerment buzzwords like, well, healing journey.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
There were snickers from some of the other students, including a tall and lank-haired kid whose name Adele didn’t know.

— Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Definition of snickers

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.

Browse Nearby Words

hee-hawing

hee-haws

heel

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hee-haws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hee-haws. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hee-haws

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes