evoke a laugh

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "evoke a laugh" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that causes or brings about laughter, often in the context of humor or comedy. Example: "The comedian's clever wordplay was sure to evoke a laugh from the audience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"A lot of it is said in jest, it's meant to be funny, to evoke a laugh.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The name Wahaha was meant to evoke a laughing child, combining the character for baby (wa) with the sound of laughter.

Forbes

"Well, the NCAA thought we had to," the former USC coach said, evoking a laugh.

Los Angeles Times

"His first words were: 'I don't give money,' " Mr. Redford wrote, evoking a large laugh from the Shubert crowd.

The New York Times

Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com gave the film 2.5 stars, saying, "Chennai Express evokes a few laughs but otherwise it decides to shift tracks from droll comedy to dreadful drama".

Wikipedia

It can evoke a period.

The New York Times

It really does evoke a certain era.

Huffington Post

James Peterson wondered, if a food can evoke a place, can a place evoke a food?

Huffington Post

There are personal reminiscences, Yiddish theater history and family fun — all calculated to evoke nostalgia, elicit a tear and provoke a laugh.

The New York Times

"We really want to evoke an emotion.

Huffington Post

We like events that evoke an experience.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for a humorous tone, use "evoke a laugh" to describe something that successfully prompts laughter from an audience.

Common error

While similar, "evoke a laugh" implies creating laughter, whereas "elicit a laugh" suggests drawing out laughter that already exists. Use "evoke" when the humor generates the laugh from scratch.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evoke a laugh" functions as a verb phrase used to describe the act of causing or creating laughter. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Academia

14%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Science

9%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "evoke a laugh" is a grammatically sound and usable verb phrase that describes the act of causing laughter. Ludwig AI indicates it is correct and is best used when you want to express that something intentionally caused someone to laugh. While not as common as other expressions, such as "get a laugh", it's appropriate in a range of contexts, particularly in News & Media. Consider alternatives like "elicit laughter", "generate amusement" or "provoke mirth", depending on the specific shade of meaning you want to convey. Remember to use "evoke a laugh" when you want to imply the creation of laughter, as opposed to simply drawing it out.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

elicit laughter

Focuses on drawing out laughter that is already present, rather than creating it.

generate amusement

Highlights the creation of a general feeling of amusement, not necessarily resulting in audible laughter.

provoke mirth

Suggests a more intense or boisterous reaction than simply evoking a laugh.

inspire humor

Emphasizes the source of the laughter as being humorous, while "evoke a laugh" focuses on the effect.

bring on the chuckles

A more informal and lighthearted way of saying "evoke a laugh".

create hilarity

Implies a higher degree of amusement and boisterous laughter.

spark joy

Focuses on the positive emotion of joy, which might lead to laughter.

stir amusement

Emphasizes the act of arousing a feeling of amusement.

trigger amusement

Indicates that something sets off a feeling of amusement.

foster humor

Suggests the creation of conditions that are favorable to humor.

FAQs

How can I use "evoke a laugh" in a sentence?

You can use "evoke a laugh" to describe something that causes someone to laugh. For example, "The comedian's witty jokes never fail to "evoke a laugh" from the audience."

What's a good substitute for "evoke a laugh"?

Alternatives to "evoke a laugh" include "elicit laughter", "generate amusement", or "provoke mirth", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "evoke a laugh" or "get a laugh"?

"Evoke a laugh" is more formal and suggests that something intentionally caused laughter. "Get a laugh" is more casual and can refer to unintentionally causing laughter. Choose the phrase that best fits the context and your intended tone.

What is the difference between "evoke a laugh" and "bring about a laugh"?

While both phrases are similar, "evoke a laugh" is slightly more sophisticated and suggests a deeper, more intentional creation of laughter. "Bring about a laugh" is more straightforward and simply means to cause laughter to happen.