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Glite Dictionary
to choke out a laugh

to choke out a laugh

7.0
To manage a short laugh when you feel surprised or shocked
  • phrasal verb
: ahogar una risa
  • Despite the tension in the room, she choked out a laugh at his awkward joke.

Examples

  • He choked out a laugh, trying to hide his shock at the surprise announcement.

  • Sarah choked out a laugh, not quite believing what she had just heard.

  • She choked out a laugh during the serious meeting.

  • I couldn't help but choke out a laugh when he tripped.

  • Amidst the somber discussion, she choked out a laugh at the unexpected comment.

  • He choked out a laugh while trying to hold back his surprise at the sudden twist in the story.

  • As the news unfolded, he choked out a laugh, finding the situation too unbelievable.

Synonyms

to chuckle
vsto choke out a laugh
237 2.0

To laugh quietly to yourself when something is slightly funny

is produced with difficulty because of surprise shock or strong feeling
to giggle
vsto choke out a laugh
153 1.0

Laugh in a silly or nervous way with short high sounds

is a forced single sound made with difficulty by surprise or strong feeling
to titter
vsto choke out a laugh
3 7.4

To laugh in a short nervous way at something slightly funny or awkward

is forced with difficulty and caused by surprise shock or strong feeling
to laugh softly
vsto choke out a laugh
3 1.9

To make a quiet sound because something is funny so you do not disturb others

is done with effort and difficulty often arising from surprise or shock

How Strong

to laugh
∞ 1.0
to chuckle
237 2.0
to choke out a laugh
7.0
to smile
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

choke out a laugh infinitive
choked out a laugh past
choked out a laugh past participle
choking out a laugh present participle
chokes out a laugh third person singular

Morphology

choke + out + a + laugh

The sense can be partly derived from the constituents: 'choke' (to stifle/have difficulty) plus 'out' (to force outward) and 'a laugh' yields the idea of forcing a laugh out with difficulty. However, 'choke out' is a somewhat idiomatic phrasal verb meaning to produce something with effort, so the exact nuance ('manage to laugh with difficulty') may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Choke out a laugh gives the image of someone who seems to choke because their throat feels tight and then pushes a laugh out in a small, weak sound. That's why it means 'to laugh with difficulty'.