We can laugh when we’re happy and laugh when we’re sad. We can laugh flippantly, seriously, or or simply because others in the room are laughing. Our laughs may be deep and throaty or light and shrill.
The number of laugh types and their meanings are unlimited, yet many writers lazily write: He laughed. Little is gained by checking the thesaurus and using a synonym like chuckled, giggled, or guffawed.
Readers will appreciate us if we show the action, expression, and sound of laughter so they have a picture of what that particular laugh was like.
Here are a few pictures you might appreciate:
