Laughing at things and with people

The idea

Use laugh at for the thing that causes laughter and laugh with for someone who joins in. The past is laughed.

Examples

• We laughed at the funny picture.
• The children laugh at the clown.
• I laughed with my sister after dinner.
• They laughed together on the train.
• My dad laughs at that joke every time.
• Please do not laugh at her mistake.

Watch out

Laugh at someone can sound unkind because the person is the target, not a partner in the joke.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct word. We laughed ___ the silly drawing. (at / with)

   Show answer or example answer

   at

   at introduces the drawing that caused the laughter.

2. Choose the correct word. She laughed ___ her friend; they both enjoyed the joke. (with / at)

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   with

   with shows that the friend joined in.

3. Choose the correct word. Yesterday the audience ___. (laughed / laugh)

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   laughed

   laughed fits the completed event yesterday.

Use it today

Describe something funny and someone you laughed with.