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[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/BatmanThreeJokers https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rco028_1603374660.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:You wouldn't expect the Joker of all people to be a SadClown, would you?]]

->''I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral.''\\
''Can't understand what I mean? Well, you soon will.''
-->-- '''Music/BarenakedLadies''', "One Week"

Characters don't just laugh when they find something funny. Laughter is an involuntary response which may arise from any swell of overwhelming emotion -- not just humor. During or after the moment, characters may cry as well, as tears are another way for people to react when important events happen that they cannot control.

This can manifest in different ways and convey different meanings:

* Shock: Characters tend to do this when they are reunited with a lost loved one or something they care about deeply. When {{Stepford Smiler}}s and other characters that have fragile facades do this, it's a sign that their mask is about to break. [[CryLaughing This type of laughter is usually followed by crying.]]
* Relief: Characters often laugh for relief when a monster avoids them or when lengthy suffering is put to an end. People living in a deserted island tend to do this when they find food and shelter or when they can finally get off the island. This type of laughter is also sometimes followed by crying, [[TearsOfJoy for different reasons]].
* Anxiety: Characters sometimes laugh nervously in response to an upcoming disaster or horrifying event. This often causes other characters to look back at them as if something was wrong with them. Characters also laugh nervously in response to something sorrowful that happened, like the death of another character, and may or may not break down crying afterward.
* Awkwardness: People have a tendency to laugh when they don't know quite how to respond to a situation, and may do so when they hear particularly strange, scandalous or shocking information. This can come off as [[InnocentlyInsensitive unintentionally insensitive]] in cases where they're laughing in response to hearing someone else talk about something like the death of a loved one, but, most of the time, the source of the laughing isn't showing their true thoughts on the matter. That being said, as many an episode of a [[TalkShowWithFists tabloid talk show]] can demonstrate, if you gather a big enough group of people to listen to such allegations as infidelity, sexual assault, drug-taking, murder, child abuse ''and worse''... there's a good chance at least some of the people in the stands may [[DissonantLaughter genuinely find it hilarious]] in their own slightly-depraved way.
* Rage: Accompanied by the GrinOfRage, some people may begin ominously laughing after someone else has just made them pass their RageBreakingPoint. If they don't stay in a state of TranquilFury, this laughter will gradually grow louder and louder until they’re on the verge of going full-on LaughingMad (if they're not there already), all while now completely berserk, with the laugh often developing into a full-on [[ScreamingWarrior scream of unhinged fury]] right before the fists begin to fly. This is a time to run away from the laugher as fast as you can... [[CurbstompBattle not that it will make that much of a difference anyway]].
* Fear: People tend to laugh in fear when cornered by a monster or in an OhCrap situation while pleading the monster, person or event to stop. This horrified laughter is the least prone to crying afterward. If characters do cry, however, it's TearsOfFear. Timid characters and cowards are the ones who tend to laugh in horror. They often tend to scream afterward.
* Madness/Despair: Related to mirthless laughter from Fear and Anxiety. Characters that have undergone an outbreak of psychological instability, especially in response to crossing the DespairEventHorizon during a moment of great stress or trauma may begin laughing uncontrollably, often interspersed with screaming, [[InelegantBlubbering intense crying]] and [[WordSaladHorror mumbling unintelligible or nonsensical words]].
* Irony: Characters can laugh at some revelation or something a person says when it strikes the one laughing as bitterly ironic or EntertaininglyWrong. Usually, the irony is only apparent (or even understandable) to the one laughing, and is also tied to some kind of personal trauma, regret, or desire. Notably, while laughing at irony ''can'' be genuinely mirthful, it can also be completely mirthless, depending on the specific circumstances. This type of laughter is one of the most likely to lead to LaughingMad.

This trope is TruthInTelevision, as it is generally theorized that laughter developed as a way for the early humans to release tension and express relief. Therefore people tend to laugh, often times even involuntary, when extremely nervous or stressed. People might also laugh when they are in physical pain.

Compare TechnicallyASmile, where smiling is not for happiness or friendliness but is the animalistic and predatory act of baring one's teeth. If a character is forced to laugh with commands or threats, compare LaughWithMe. If the laughter is dispassionate or sarcastic, compare FlatJoy.

Not to be confused with LaughingMad, which is about laughter as a sign of a crumbling psyche.
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': The anime adaptation changes [[spoiler:Annie]]'s reaction to being outed as the [[spoiler:Female]] Titan to this (from a SlasherSmile in the manga), combined with a LuminescentBlush. It's as creepy as it sounds. The author of the manga later said that the laughing was a mixture of relief and anxiety over being outed and no longer having to pretend.
** Eren does this twice, first after the death of Hannes and again after the death of [[spoiler:Sasha]].
* During the latter half of ''Anime/TheBigO's'' second season, [[BrokenBird Angel]] confesses her feelings for Roger, but he fails to reciprocate. When she asks why, he hesitates, then finally answers that he isn't sure himself; which stuns Angel. Then it hits her. [[spoiler:Roger apparently held feelings for [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot R.]] [[EmotionlessGirl Dorothy]].]] The realization is so jarring for her, it results in bitter laughter. This marks the beginning of her downward spiral for the remainder of the series as her life falls apart.
* ''Anime/CursedOnePiece'': Discovering that the titular dress has [[ClingyCostume merged with her daughter Kaori]], becoming a second skin, causes Kaori's mother to descend into a bout of this.
* Throughout ''Anime/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', characters tend to laugh this way whenever they fall into [[spoiler:disease-related]] bouts of paranoia.
* ''Anime/IsekaiQuartet'': The opening includes Ainz and Subaru standing awkwardly beside each other, sharing a spate of mirthless laughter fueled by their discomfort.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''Manga/StardustCrusaders'': at one point, an enemy Stand has [[PowerOfTheSun taken the form of the Sun itself]] and traps the heroes in a desert cave where they slowly succumb to heat exhaustion and dehydration. One by one, everyone starts laughing hysterically, except for Joseph, who believes that they've gone insane from the heat and despair of the situation. It turns out that they were actually laughing because they noticed the way to defeat this enemy.
** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'': Josuke and Rohan both laugh with unease humor after their dice game starts displaying the obvious fact that Josuke is cheating, and then Rohan [[FinGore stabs his finger]].
** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Golden Wind]]'': The only sound Carne makes other than grunts of pain after Mista shoots him is a very disturbing staccato chuckle. It doesn't help that his pinprick pupils get even smaller and he gets a really creepy smile on his face when he does it.
* Jim suffers a bout of nervous laughter, in the midst of a panic attack, during ''Manga/OutlawStar's'' 14th episode.
* ''Anime/RidingBean'': Semmerling and Bean share a brief moment of stress laughter together after he [[spoiler:body-checks her ''car'']]. Doubles as PreViolenceLaughter, as they immediately go back to trying to kill each other.
* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'': In episode seven, Ryoko and Ayeka join forces to try to win Tenchi's favor by eliminating the competition [[spoiler:including each other]]. They start by tricking Mihoshi into returning to Galaxy Police headquarters, then attempt to seal Washuu in her lab. One by one, however, their plans backfire, [[ItMakesSenseInContext which ultimately lands them in the lake outside]]. And at the exact moment when it seemed things couldn't get worse, Mihoshi returns. The two share a laugh as the last of their schemes blows up in their faces.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/BatmanThreeJokers'': One of the three Jokers, "The Criminal", actually hates laughing since it causes him physical pain (he's the Joker from the very first ''Batman'' comics, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness who rarely laughed or smiled).]] He seems to do it most often when things aren't going his way, like when Jason Todd mocks him or when [[spoiler:Batman foils his scheme at the end.]]
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': In issue #159, after learning from the Hulk that he spent two years in a coma before his HealingFactor restored him from their last fight, when he fell to Earth from orbit, the Abomination begins alternatively ranting about the situation and laughing at it. [[LampshadeHanging The Hulk tells him to stop laughing, because it sounds all wrong]], and then finally sucker-punches the Abomination to leave him out cold and stop the laughter.
-->'''Abomination:''' A-ha! Ha ha ha! '''Ha ha ha haaaaa!''' "Nothing can hurt the '''Abomination'''", I said! Not even falling out of '''space'''! It may put me in a '''coma''' -- but when I '''wake up''', I don't even know '''know''' about it! ''How '''wonderful''' to be a freak! I can lose '''whole sections''' of my '''life'''! Isn't that '''funny''', Hulk? Isn't that just '''hilarious'''?! Ha ha '''ha ha haaaa'''\\
'''Hulk:''' Do not '''laugh'''! Hulk does not '''like''' your laugh! Sounds like '''crying'''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''Fanfic/AllThisVenatoriNonsense'', protagonist Trevelyan laughs hysterically out of pure shock following the revelations at the end of the story.
* ''Fanfic/ArcCorp'': One arc involves a Magic8Ball that apparently gives specific and accurate answers to any questions asked of it. Given that the Schnee family is willing to auction it off, ARC Corp assumes that there must be more to it. Then they discover that the 8-ball's answers are [[spoiler:based off the asker's knowledge; it can't tell the user anything they don't already know]]. Jaune bursts into despairing laughter, realizing that the Schnee company intentionally sparked a gang war that killed ''hundreds'' all for the sake of [[spoiler:maintaining a lie]].
* ''Fanfic/ArcRoyale'': After Knight demonstrates a small portion of his power, Fate starts laughing at how incredibly outclassed the rest of the Arcs appear to be by comparison, meaning the odds of any of them surviving the competition at all, much less ''winning'', are incredibly low.
* ''Fanfic/ACertainDrollHivemind'': When it turns out that Abe Eiko [[spoiler:is the product of painful experiments and was once a Dark Side assassin]], she is happy to finally be able to talk to Misaka-11111 about it. "Happy" being a relative term.
-->"Lucky," Abe Eiko said. She slumped down, still smiling. "It's... it's good to have someone to talk to about it, you know? Sumi and 'Yoko don't have a clue." She laughed, although I did not see what the joke was. "They think Academy City is a nice happy place where everyone gets to learn and become better."\\
We then saw the joke. We did not think it was a very funny joke.
* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', both Harry and Carol tend to laugh mirthlessly when in a bitter mood, usually accompanied by [[SarcasmMode biting sarcasm, often self-deprecating]]. With Harry in particular, it tends to relate to memories of [[spoiler:the Dark Phoenix]].
* ''Fanfic/ConversationsWithACryptid'':
** When Izuku tells All for One that he shouldn't concern himself with Izuku, given how much he hates All Might and how poorly he's treated Shiragaki, All for One chuckles bitterly to himself.
** During the sequel, ''Kidnapping of a Cryptid'', All for One laughs this way at the irony of Izuku ''accidentally'' managing to [[spoiler:turn people against the government and Pro Heroes]], something he'd spent 200 years trying in vain to accomplish himself.
* ''Fanfic/FromFakeDreams'': Shirou combines this with TearsOfJoy when he finally manages to [[spoiler:kill Zouken]].
* ''Fanfic/HeHasTheHeart'': When Penny asks for confirmation that her uncle wasn't "mutilated or anything", John (who was just unwillingly converted into ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'') starts chuckling to himself in this fashion before escalating into loud, hysterical sobbing.
* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'':
** In "Fear", when Yang casually asks Jaune how he's doing after he's nearly disemboweled and is lying in a pool of his own blood, Jaune laughs at the absurdity of her question before responding with his own CasualDangerDialogue.
** When [[spoiler:Darth Nihilus uses his telekinesis to crash Ironwood's airship into Beacon]], Qrow can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation while everyone around him stares up in horror at [[spoiler:the incoming airship]].
** In "Vengeance", [[spoiler:Amber]] starts ruefully chuckling upon seeing all the destruction caused by [[spoiler:Nihilus]] due to feeling guilty that she hadn't been awoken in time to stop him.
* ''Fanfic/AMothToAFlame'': Marcy reacts this way upon learning that King Andrias and the Core had always planned for her to become the latter's host... regardless of whether or not they were able to convince her to go along with it.
* In ''[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/boku-no-hero-academia-ideas-and-discussion-thread.389237/page-174#post-37097851 My Poltergeist Report]]'', Izuku chuckles lifelessly after learning that his whole life, including his death, was going to be miserable and utterly pointless in the grand scheme of things. The only thing that snaps him out of it is [[Manga/YuYuHakusho Botan's]] offer to bring him back to life.
* ''Fanfic/OwlsHellThatEndsWell'':
** Following a long, emotional discussion about their insecurities and fears, Blitzo and Octavia both find themselves laughing hysterically at the absurdity of how they'd been effectively fighting over which of them was the biggest loser.
** Blitzo has another spate later after being forced to recount one of the worst experiences of his lives, followed by injuring himself in front of his daughter and many other witnesses.
* In the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10740041/4/Remember-When Remember When]]'', the final chapter is this trope.
* ''Fanfic/SunsplitSaga'': When Twilight Sparkle brings up Sunset Shimmer, Sunburst immediately demands to know where she heard that name. Realizing that he just made that demand of a ''princess'', he hastily backs down and [[BadLiar awkwardly]] claims that he was only asking "out of academic curiosity," laughing nervously in this fashion.
* In ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'', Kirito gives some of this off when Suguha complains that he could've gotten out of the hospital sooner had he not [[GroinAttack ripped his own dick in half]].
* In ''Fanfic/ThisBites'', Robin utters Saul's "Dereshishishi" laugh when the memories of Ohara and the Buster Call come back. It's chilling.
* ''Fanfic/ThoseWhoStandForNothingFallForAnything'': Light falls into this when L not only rejects him, but [[spoiler:beats him up]].
* ''Fanfic/ThyGoodNeighbor'': Rickard falls into this after officially receiving the Hunter's rent, realizing that he's now in prime position to become the most powerful Northern Lord Paramount ever... but would gladly trade all his prestige away for the chance to have his son safely back by his side.
* ''Fanfic/WingsOfRebellion'': After revealing himself to the Phantom Thieves and explaining his motives, Crow abruptly realizes that his original plan never would have worked out the way he'd desired. He starts laughing at his own stupidity, descending into a LaughingMad fit.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* Just before the terrifying reveal in the second segment of ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad'' the former, Ichabod Crane is getting petrified at every sound in the forest - when he finally sees that cattails in the wind are making noises like hoofbeats he starts laughing in frightened relief with a bit of LaughingMad thrown in.
* Jafar does this uncontrollably in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' and it is a laughter of relief, disbelief at the irony and triumph as he sees tables turning in his favour until Iago [[GetAholdOfYourselfMan snaps him out of it.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', a brainwashed Tim Drake breaks into hysterical laughter after he kills the Joker, [[CryLaughing then it transitions to sobbing]].
* ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'': Following Goku's battle with Lord Beerus, the latter reveals that [[spoiler:not only is his servant Whisky stronger than Beerus himself, but some of the other eleven universes boast even ''stronger'' residents]]. Goku responds by laughing this way before passing out.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'': When both Basil and Dawson are stuck in Ratigan's DeathTrap, Basil is stuck in the throes of a HeroicBSOD. Dawson declares that "Well, I know you can save us. But if you've given up, then why don't we just set it off now and be done with it?!" Basil chuckles mirthlessly and echoes the remark, before [[EurekaMoment repeating it]], having just realized how they can escape.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'': Hades does this as he's walking away from Mount Olympus after his fellow gods burst into laughter on a pun made by Zeus regarding his workaholism.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Storks}}'', Tulip realizes pretty quickly that Junior laughs when he's uncomfortable which only causes Junior to laugh louder and more uncomfortably.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', Hiddleston's performance includes Loki doing the nervous laughter variant of this whenever flustered or wrongfooted - he usually uses it to play off Thor's attempts to reach out to him, but he also does it to pretend he isn't afraid of something.
* ''Film/ColdEnoughForSnow'': Bevis has a massive fit of mirthless laughter just after hearing an extremely lame pun, because he is extremely upset about his son leaving home.
* In ''Film/FaceOff'', Archer (disguised as Troy) tells Deitrich that he knows so much about Archer because he "sleeps with his life". This leads to Dietrich and his goons to laugh and then Archer joins in (ironically).
* ''Film/TheFugitive''. Gerard tells Kimble that [[spoiler: his friend Charles Nichols used his keys to let his wife's killer into his house. Kimble laughs bitterly at the realization that had he not done something so simple as loan his friend his car, his wife might still be alive.]]
* Luke, Leia, and Han break out into this in ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/ANewHope'' after R2-D2 manages to shut down the garbage compactor that was about to crush them. They're so raucous that C-3PO first thinks [[MistakenForDying they've actually been crushed]].
* ''Film/{{Poltergeist|1982}}'': After the family searches for Carol Anne in her bedroom they find a small body lying motionless under a bed sheet. With much trepidation they pull the sheet only to find it's the creepy clown doll and not their little girl. The mother, Diane, who was on the verge hysterics breaks into laughter, out of a mixture of both nervousness and relief.
* ''[[Film/ReadyOrNot2019 Ready or Not]]'': [[ActionSurvivor Grace]] breaks into relieved, but slightly [[LaughingMad unhinged]] giggles when [[spoiler:her murderous in-laws are [[PopGoesTheHuman gibbed]] one by one for failing to uphold their end of their DealWithTheDevil]].
* ''[[Film/TheTexasChainSawMassacre1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre]]'': Memorably, the film ends with [[FinalGirl Sally Hardesty]] laughing after escaping Leatherface on the back of a pickup truck, having endured a night trying to escape a CannibalClan that have killed her brother and friends.
* ''Film/WhenTrumpetsFade'': Manning's last act on this Earth before he dies is to let out a disheartened laugh as Sanderson promises that he's going to take him home.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Happens once or twice in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', when characters laugh at a joke more than normal after an adventure because it's "relief laughter. We're-still-alive-laughter".
* In ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', Mandorallen is stricken by fear for the first time in his life after an encounter with a WackyWaysideTribe. Unable to deal with this unfamiliar emotion, which he mistakes for cowardice, he asks his companions for advice on the matter. When someone notes that some people control their fear by laughing at it, he takes the suggestion rather too literally and develops a habit of charging into combat while laughing maniacally.
* At the end of Creator/EdgarAllanPoe's ''Literature/TheCaskOfAmontillado'', Fortunato laughs and acts as though he's praising Montresor for his supposed prank, but it's obvious that he's now absolutely terrified at his impending fate.
* In the second book of ''Literature/TheDarkElfTrilogy'', Dinin breaks into laughter once he realizes that not only is their family under attack and likely about to be wiped out, but also, his sister has just killed his mother to take over power.
* Laughing from relief or anxiety often crops up in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels, usually in the context of someone making a lame joke, and the narration noting that it wasn't funny, but the tension was such that people would laugh at ''anything''. One example is the joke Sacharissa makes in ''Literature/TheTruth'' after the print shop's been smashed up; the dwarfs laugh, but Sacharissa herself ''keeps'' laughing, and William realises that "this was the kind of laughter you died of".
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'', when people are telling Harry Potter about Sirius Black's supposed crime of having killed a streetful of muggles, they make sure to point out the fact that he stood there laughing afterwards as further proof of just how off-the-rails he is. As we learn by the end of the book, it was actually Sirius's friend Peter Pettigrew who killed all those people, then used his animagus power to transform into a rat and flee the scene, leaving Sirius to take the blame. Author J.K. Rowling has clarified in interviews that Black's laughter was this type of laughter, evoked by the sheer insanity of the situation.
** ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'':
*** Molly Weasley gives one such laugh when Arthur mentions the use of stitches as an alternative attempt at curing his wounds, believing [[ItWillNeverCatchOn that even Arthur, a xenophile towards the Muggles, wouldn't be stupid enough to try it]]. The "laughter" part goes out the window once she finds out that he did just that.
---->'''Molly''': WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THAT'S THE GENERAL IDEA?
*** Neville gives a nervous laugh when Hermione makes a joke under her breath in the Department of Mysteries that is fueled by fear and nervousness since they're six students breaking in and expecting to have to fight a group of Death Eaters.
* Near the end of the novel ''[[Literature/SpaceMarineBattles Helsreach]]'', an Ork Nob challenges Grimaldus to a one-on-one duel during the Black Templars' LastStand. Grimaldus kills the Nob in a single hit, prompting all of the remaining Black Templars to burst out into laughter in front of their attackers. It's very clearly a combination of hopeless humor and yet another way to mock the Orks, however - the Black Templars are still very much doomed.
* [[EvilSorcerer Fistandantilus]] is explicitly described as laughing like this in the ''Literature/KingpriestTrilogy''- one character explicitly notes that he'd never imagined a laugh could ''be'' so utterly devoid of mirth. In this case, Fistandantilus laughs as a calculated expression of contempt for his dupes and to keep them off-guard, rather than for any of the above reasons. On those occasions he actually ''does'' find something funny, it's usually more of an EvilLaugh.
* ''Literature/ModernFaerieTales'':
** In ''Ironside'', after Kaye [[spoiler:reveals to her mother that she's a faerie]], she starts laughing nervously and can't stop.
--->The nervous giggling wouldn't stop. It was like the absurdity and the horror needed to escape somehow and the only way out was through Kaye's mouth.
** In ''Ironside'', after Roiben learns that [[spoiler:his opponent in the duel will be his own sister]]:
--->His laugh was almost a sob, short and terrible.
* In the ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'' novel, Ulysse has this reaction when he definitely realizes the situation he is in (naked, in a cage with animal-like humans, and commanded by armed sapient apes). His laughter also could be the horror version but the shock in being in this position is what most likely caused it.
* ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'': A guy who'd had his thumb ripped off that night gets it bandaged up by Watson, and only when it's done does all the stress come back and start laughing. As Watson puts it, "all my medical instincts rose up against that laugh".
* Samuel Beckett spends over a page of his novel ''Watt'' describing various types of mirthless laughter:
--> Of all the laughs that strictly speaking are not laughs, but modes of ululation, only three I think need detain us, I mean the bitter, the hollow and the mirthless. They correspond to successive...how shall I say successive...suc...successive excoriations of the understanding and the passage from the one to the other is the passage from the lesser to the greater, from the lower to the higher, from the outer to the inner, from the gross to the fine, from the matter to the form. The laugh that now is mirthless once was hollow, the laugh that once was hollow once was bitter. And the laugh that once was bitter? Eyewater, Mr. Watt, eyewater. But do not let us waste our time with that. . . . The bitter, the hollow and -- "Haw! Haw!" -- the mirthless. The bitter laugh laughs at that which is not good, it is the ethical laugh. The hollow laugh laughs at that which is not true, it is the intellectual laugh. Not good! Not true! Well well. But the mirthless laugh is the dianoetic laugh, down the snout -- Haw! -- so. It is the laugh of laughs, the risus purus, the laugh laughing at the laugh, the beholding, the saluting of the highest joke, in a word the laugh that laughs -- silence please -- at that which is unhappy.
* Rand Al'Thor of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series does this increasingly as his [[SanitySlippage sanity depletes]] under [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne the strain of his prophesied role]]. When pressed, he maintains that he laughs to keep from crying, while others point out that it would be better for him [[CatharticCrying to do the latter]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Mentioned in ''Series/AsTimeGoesBy'' when Judy tells her mother Jean that she's envious of how Jean has her life together. Jean's reply is "You've heard of a hollow laugh? If I knew how to do one, I'd do it."
* In ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'', Colonel Fisk of the Battlestar ''Pegasus'' is on the CIC of the ''Galactica'' as part of an ulterior plot by Admiral Cain to assassinate Commander Adama and his command staff. He bursts out laughing after Cain noticeably does ''not'' give him the codeword to carry out the job, and Colonel Tigh saying that [[INeedAFreakingDrink he looks like he could use a drink]].
* ''Series/BreakingBad'':
** A chilling example happens in "[[Recap/BreakingBadS4E11CrawlSpace Crawl Space]]" when [[spoiler:Walt, realizing that he now has no way of escaping his situation, completely snaps and starts laughing until he goes catatonic]].
** "[[Recap/BreakingBadS5E16Felina Felina]]" has [[spoiler:Jesse Pinkman]] laughing brokenly, but relieved, while driving off towards freedom.
* In the first season ender of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', she walks in on Giles and Angel discussing an ancient prophecy that foretells her facing the Master and dying - they're only alerted to her presence as she starts laughing.
* Abed in ''Series/{{Community}}'' does this on occasion but mostly because he doesn't know the proper way to laugh in certain situations.
* In ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', Craig bursts into inappropriate laughter at his [[AbusiveParents abusive father]]'s funeral.
* This is often a reaction of chefs at times who are in ''Series/HellsKitchen''. Unfortunately, Chef Ramsay doesn't quite seem to understand the concept and will chew them out for not taking things seriously... either that, or he understands perfectly well and is being [[ObfuscatingStupidity purposely obtuse]] as a means of upping the show's drama.
-->'''Van:''' I'm not laughing at Chef Ramsay. I laugh when I'm nervous. I laugh when I'm happy.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E742 42]]", after having been [[spoiler:rescued at the last second from the living sun that was possessing him]], the Tenth Doctor reacts by laughing hysterically in relief.
* ''Series/FortBoyard'': Celebrity contestant Sally Gray laughs hysterically when she lowers herself down the side of the fort, in a mechanism which spins her very rapidly. She says afterwards that it was because she was so nervous.
* ''Series/OddSquad'':
** This is a common RunningGag with Xavier and Xena, who do this as part of their shared EvilLaugh and takes the shape of HaHaHaNo.
** In "The Creature Whisperer", the Big O (read: [[ActuallyThatsMyAssistant actually his decoy]]) asks Oprah if she's stalling for time by having Otis dance for him to distract him. Her response is to break out in a fit of nervous laughter, then give Otis a PromptingNudge to encourage him to start nervously laughing as well. The Big O isn't fooled for so much as a second and stops their laughing fits dead in their tracks.
** In "Oscar Strikes Back", Oscar attends Lab-Con for the first time with Oprah and explains to Odelia how Oona, his assistant, is in charge of the lab while he's gone. He then lets slip one of his fears of leaving such an experienced Scientist in charge of the lab, in that Oona could press a button and the place could explode. Odelia and Oprah get a good genuine laugh out of his remark, but Oscar's laugh is much more anxiety-ridden, and he tries to pull a ScrewThisImOuttaHere before Oprah stops him.
** At the climax of "Dr. O No" when Oona, going through gradual SanitySlippage, hits her RageBreakingPoint and yells at Oprah and New Dr. O, the latter is reminded that she's out of mayonnaise, and pays no mind to the harsh words that her so-called "friend" gives her, instead leaving to go to the grocery store. This causes Oona to laugh in a strained manner as she asks Oprah in disbelief if New Dr. O really just left to go buy mayonnaise while a man is in need of medical assistance.
** In "Villains Always Win", while Olympia is a contestant on the eponymous game show, host Game Show Gary asks her and the other contestants to perform their best evil laugh. All she can muster is a painfully-fake laugh which doesn't impress anyone and leads to boos from Studio Audience.
** In "It Takes Goo to Make a Feud Go Right", Baroness Goo meets Oprah in the tube lobby and accuses her of scheduling her and her enemies for the same time at the same place. Oprah responds by nervously laughing out "No-o-o-o-o-o, Baroness Goo!" before diverting the subject to what the Baroness wants for dessert.
* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': This happens to Miss Brooks out of stress in "Hobby Show".
* Sock from ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' bursts into fearful laughter in the first episode when facing imminent death. It's described as a character tic, but [[InformedAttribute doesn't really come up in the rest of the series.]]
* ''Series/SchittsCreek'': After they [[RichesToRags lose their fortune]] and are forced to move, [[DramaQueen Moira]]'s husband reminds her that if she wants a flower garden, she'll have to plant it herself. She answers with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDHuxXsULcM a long sarcastic chuckle that builds to a full-on cackle,]] all without moving her face or blinking.
-->'''Moira:''' ...These are dark times, John, but not ''that'' dark.
* In ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', in the backstory, mere days after he graduated from Starfleet Academy, a young Ensign Picard is in a bar fight with a pair of aliens twice his size and ends up stabbed in the back ''through the heart''. His response is to look down at the blade sticking out of his chest and laugh as he collapses to the ground. It's unclear whether this was out of shock or if he found some humor in it, but, observing the event again from the future, the stoic Captain Picard is only embarrassed by the recklessness of his youth. It gets revisited in "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E14Tapestry Tapestry]]", and [[spoiler:this time, Present-Picard in Young-Picard's body is laughing from relief because he knows history is back on course]].
* In the series finale of ''Series/StrikeBack'', the remaining members of S20 do this upon realizing that the $15 million they just risked their lives to steal is counterfeit.
* Kitty from ''Series/That70sShow'' does this a great deal.
* In ''Series/TheWire'', George Glekas, (the fence and smuggling specialist for the [[TheSyndicate a worldwide]] drug and [[HumanTrafficking sex trafficking]] organization) can only shake his head and give an angry chuckle when he learns that Ziggy, who he hired for a job smuggling some stolen cars, has decided to take one of the missing cars for a joyride and ''[[StupidCrooks currently has it parked right outside Glekas's store]]''. He does it again shortly afterwards, when Ziggy starts arguing with him over payment for the job, when Glekas only gives him half of the price that was agreed. A Website/TelevisionWithoutPity recap of the episode summarized it thusly:
-->''Glekas laughs in [[TranquilFury that kind of enraged way that scary characters sometimes do]], shaking his head.''
* On one episode of ''Series/WouldILieToYou'', after a particularly bad showing from his team without a single correct guess all evening, Creator/{{David Mitchell|Actor}} declares in frustration that if his team's final guess also turns out to be wrong (and, to add further insult, is when he's siding with a teammate who had previously guessed correctly only to be overruled each time), he's simply going to "laugh at death". Sure enough, the answer turns out to be wrong, provoking a burst of loud, humourless laughter from David:
-->'''David Mitchell:''' I AM ''SO MERRY''!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon": The second verse of "[[StepfordSmiler Turn it Off]]" ends will all the missionaries awkwardly laughing after Elder Thomas brings up how he ignores the fact that he might one day die of cancer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': At Skopp City, one [[NonPlayerCharacter NPC]] is laughing around on the streets only because he's pretending and thinks he'll forget if he stops.
* Widespread in the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' series and its SpiritualPredecessor ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls''; [=NPCs=] often end their dialogue with a hearty chuckle at the CrapsackWorld they inhabit.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': One ghost giggles all the time he has the player character sort out his UnfinishedBusiness, and then, when he realizes he's still not [[GoIntoTheLight passing on]], his laughter escalates into a scream of horror.
-->'''Narrator:''' And as the black shadow of eternity looms over him, he becomes hysterical.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', Freya lets out a mirthless laugh of shock upon learning that her long-lost boyfriend, Fratley, has amnesia and no memory of her whatsoever.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'':
*** Tidus and Yuna's fake-laughter scene. They're practicing laughing as a way to de-stress when things get too sad or scary and then they laugh for real over how silly they sounded trying to practice laughter. At least, Tidus does. It's never made clear whether Yuna, given her situation, was actually capable of genuine laughter at that point. Wakka expresses concern for both of them, thinking that they had lost it.
*** Later, Yuna oversleeps at the Djose Temple and the party lets her sleep in. Afterwards, the party makes fun of her for having "bed-hair."
---->'''Auron:''' Once Lady Yuna can fixes her hair, we leave! ''(everyone laughs)''\\
'''Tidus''': ''(narrating)'' I hadn't really laughed like that in a long time. It was only later that I realized... The only one really laughing then... was me. Laughing must have been the only thing keeping them going.
*** There's also Rikku's laughter when she panics over the lightning at the Thunder Plains.
---->'''Tidus''': "Heh heh heh..." You're givin' me the creeps!
** [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyII Firion]]'s pre-battle quote when fighting [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Kefka]] in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' has him remark that he has "never heard a sadder laugh." Also, after Terra defeats Kefka for the final time during the game's story mode, he goes off on a nihilistic rant about the pointlessness of cherishing existence in the face of inevitable destruction before he [[DrivenToSuicide explodes]], leaving behind the echo of a [[CryLaughing sobbing laugh]].
* [=DiZ=]/[[spoiler:Ansem the Wise]] does this twice in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', first when [[spoiler:Riku, having embraced the power of darkness to defeat Roxas, introduces himself as "Ansem" while physically looking like "Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness", unaware he's addressing the ''real'' Ansem]], and again at the end when [[spoiler: his Kingdom Hearts Encoder starts to break down and it fully hits him just how stupid the plan really was.]]
* Near the end of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', after [[spoiler: King Daphnes uses the Triforce in order to finally destroy Hyrule, Ganondorf's response is to start laughing, starting with a chuckle and then immediately cackling like a madman as water starts pouring into the kingdom. He then takes out his swords and starts the game's final battle]].
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'': When some soldiers Snake encounters become under heavy fire, they break into laugher over their situation. This can be invoked by using a laughing bullet.
** In the "Jetstream" DLC of ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', Sam lets one out at the end after Armstrong manages to defeat him and cut off his arm, deciding that his vigilante campaign has effectively ended and accepting Armstrong's offer to join him. Armstrong in return [[EvilLaugh chuckles menacingly with him]].
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVGroundZeroes'': When Snake rescues her, Paz will occasionally be subject to fits of nervous laughter. Considering the torture she's been through, it's not unjustified.
* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', Yusuke does this a few times as the crimes of his teacher/foster father Madarame are slowly exposed. After Yusuke's faith is Madarame has been [[BrokenPedestal completely shattered]] with the reveal that [[spoiler:Madarame essentially [[MurderByInaction let Yusuke's mother die]] so he could profit off of her painting]], Yusuke starts sadly laughing, then thanks Madarame for completely removing any reason to forgive him.
* The Kookaburras of ''VideoGame/SongBirdSymphony'' laugh at everything. This includes when they're scared, which led to a misunderstanding of sorts with [[spoiler:Cassie: she assumed they were visiting just to laugh ''AT'' her, when they were actually fearfully checking up on her and laughing nervously, worried about what she might do]].
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** Though it's partly the result of seeing Mario dazed with the entry frame of the Ghost Portrificationizer stuck around his neck, [[https://youtu.be/ShXjsPclGuA?t=60 Luigi begins laughing uncontrollably]] out of relief at the conclusion of ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'', to the point that he almost crosses the line into LaughingMad territory!
** At the end of ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'', Olly does this when he finds out that [[spoiler:the "scribbles" on the paper folded to bring him to life, and for which he wants to [[FinalSolution wipe out all the Toads]], was actually a message from his creator wishing for him to be a good king.]]
* In the ''Meet the Medic'' video of ''Videogame/TeamFortress2'', the Heavy does this as the Medic prepares the Mega-Baboon heart transplant. It's even subtitled on Youtube as "Worried Laughter".
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'':
** Some fans theorize that [[spoiler:the First Child's]] laughter at [[spoiler:King Asgore getting sick from poisonous buttercups in a pie they and Asriel made for him]] was this instead of a case of EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor. It's really up to fan speculation whether it was [[spoiler: a genuine mistake (confusing "buttercups" for "cups of butter") or them trying to play TheUsurper by poisoning Asgore to take the throne and delighting in his sickness while passing it as "laughing it off"]].
** [[spoiler:Toriel falls under this trope as well, if you either kill her as part of your No Mercy run or if you [[ISurrenderSuckers strike her down after she’s stopped attacking you.]]]]
* In ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'', [=LaCroix=] starts laughing when the sarcophagus he opens [[spoiler:is full of dynamite instead of the Antideluvian he intended to diablize, and sees a mocking note from Smiling Jack and a timer reaching 0:00]]; crosses over with LaughingMad.
* In ''VideoGame/WolfensteinYoungblood'' after the twins kill their first Nazi Jess initially [[StressVomit pukes all over the floor]], then the two of them suddenly burst out laughing, likely out of fear mixed with relief that he didn't kill them instead.
* ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'': The ironic version appears in the ending, as [[spoiler: Ryo Aoki]] tells the story of how his ex-girlfriend, who only dated him for his money and later dumped him for being a [[MafiaPrincess Mafia Prince]], complimented him when they met [[spoiler: after he reinvented himself.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': In "The New Normal", after Anne's parents talk about how they heard someone trashed the cooking aisle and are glad Anne would never do something like that, Anne nervously chuckles and the Plantars laugh hysterically.
* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': In "Little Ed Blue", Ed yells back at Sarah, she then laughs nervously as she backs away and complies with his demand to leave.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicStarlightGlimmer Starlight Glimmer]] is prone to these after [[HeelFaceTurn she becomes a good guy]]. Because she's so socially awkward, any situation that Starlight finds upsetting or stressful makes her nervously chuckle, especially if the implications of something terrible that's about to happen are pointed out to her.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In "Eclipse Lake", Amity finds [[Characters/TheOwlHouseTheGoldenGuard Hunter]] digging in the ground at Eclipse Lake and wonders what he's doing. He tells her that there's no Titan blood left and starts laughing as he explains that since he's failed his one shot at redeeming himself for Belos, he's digging his own grave.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** [[Characters/StevenUniversePearl Pearl]] has laughed out of nervousness at least once.
** [[Characters/StevenUniversePeridot Peridot]] also did this once she realized she [[spoiler:wouldn't be able to escape from the Cluster]].
** This seems to be a favorite way of showing distress amongst the characters. [[Characters/StevenUniverseLapisLazuli Lapis Lazuli]] does this after Steven answers her question of "What if something bad happens?" with the ArmorPiercingResponse "What if something good happens?" Lapis chuckles mirthlessly at her own trauma-induced paranoia before breaking out into song.
* The RunningGag of an episode from ''WesternAnimation/TheTomAndJerryShow'', where Robin Ho-Ho tries to get his Merry Men to laugh and they respond with just "ha ha ha... ho ho ho... hee hee hee."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* [[https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/animals/why-do-hyenas-laugh.html This is the real reason]] behind the spotted hyena's infamous "laugh": it's a response to stress, whether it's from food or group infighting. Even though Hyenas do have quite solid group hierarchies, they will regularly squabble over resources, be it among themselves or against [[BullyingADragon creatures far stronger than them]], so their eerie laughing is quite a common occurrence.
* Cats purring when distressed may be their version of mirthless laughter, in the sense that it's a sound that usually indicates positive emotions turning up when the animal is feeling negative emotions. A domestic cat purring usually ''is'' a sign of contentment, but they've also been known to purr when in extreme pain, such as due to injury or when giving birth. Theories for why this happens vary; a popular one is that purring in stressful situations is a self-soothing mechanism, not unlike the theory that humans laughing when we're not happy is a holdover from laughter starting out as a tension-release mechanism.
[[/folder]]
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