Guffaw is a loud, boisterous laugh, typically brief and erupting with strong, hearty amusement. As a noun, it denotes the sound itself or the act of laughing uproariously; as a verb it can be used informally to mean to laugh heartily. It conveys a sense of exuberant, unrestrained mirth rather than a gentle chuckle. 2-4 sentences, 50-80 words max.
- You’ll often under-pronounce the second syllable, making /ˈɡʌfɔ/ or /ˈɡʌfv/ instead of /ˈɡʌfɔː/. Ensure you finish with a longer back rounded vowel. - Jaw tension can turn /ɔː/ into /ɒ/ or /oʊ/. Relax your jaw and drop it a bit to allow the long rounded /ɔː/. - The /f/ should be crisp, not a light /v/ or a softened /f/; practice releasing air fully. - Do not reduce the first syllable; keep /ˈɡʌ/ strong and clear. - In rapid speech, some speakers may merge /fɔː/ into a quick /fɔ/ or /fɔː/; practice segmenting, then gradually speed up.
- US: rhoticity is present; ensure the /ɡ/ onset is clear and the /ɔː/ remains rounded; keep the /f/ unreleased until the /ɔː/ completes. - UK: the /ɔː/ can sound slightly fronted; avoid over-rounding while maintaining length. - AU: tends toward a broader, open-mouthed /ɔː/ with less tension in the jaw; maintain long vowel while keeping /f/ crisp. Use IPA /ˈɡʌfɔː/.
"His offhand joke triggered a gleeful guffaw from the crowd."
"She let out a guffaw after realizing the prank was harmless."
"The comedian paused, and the audience erupted in guffaws."
"Even in the quiet library, a sudden guffaw broke the tension."
Guffaw derives from the earlier usage of gaudy, raucous laughter in informal speech; its precise etymology is unclear, but it emerged in English in the 19th century as a strong onomatopoeic representation of a loud laugh. The form likely evolved from imitative sounds associated with explosive laughter, possibly influenced by the word guff meaning foolish talk or nonsense, which itself traces to Middle English. The first known uses appear in humorous or satirical writing, where authors sought a vivid, almost cartoonish representation of laughter. Over time, guffaw settled into common usage to describe a notably loud, unrestrained laugh, often written as a noun and less commonly as a verb in modern usage. The term is now widely recognized in both American and British English, frequently appearing in literature, journalism, and conversational speech to convey a specific sonic impression of mirth.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Guffaw" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Guffaw"
-alf sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as GUH-faw, with stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈɡʌfɔː/. Start with a short, relaxed /ɡ/, then the vowel /ʌ/ like 'cup', followed by /f/ and an open-diphthong /ɔː/ as in 'saw'. Ensure the second syllable has a lighter touch: /fɔː/. Audio cues: imagine a quick, strong start and a lingering /ɔː/.
Common errors include reducing the second syllable to /o/, saying /ˈɡʌfæ/ instead of /ˈɡʌfɔː/; and turning the /f/ into a /v/ or making the vowel too short. Correct by: keeping /ɔː/ as a long, open-mid back rounded vowel, and preserving the /f/ fricative before it. Another pitfall is stressing the second syllable; keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈɡʌ/. Consistent mouth opening and a crisp /f/ will help.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial /ɡ/ and /ʌ/ are similar, but rhotics and vowel quality vary slightly. UK and AU may have a broader /ɔː/ in the second syllable with less rhotic influence, while US often has a tighter /ɔː/ and r-colored vowel in connected speech. The pronunciation remains /ˈɡʌfɔː/ in most standard dialects, but actual realization of /ɔː/ can shift toward a more centralized vowel in some fast or casual speech.
Guffaw challenges include producing a clear /ɡ/ onset without adding a nasal or stop, achieving the long /ɔː/ that follows /f/, and keeping the /f/ crisp before the long vowel. The combination /fɔː/ can feel awkward if your jaw tension is high or if you conflate with /ɔ/ or /ɒ/. Slow practice with focus on sustaining the second vowel and crisp the /f/ will help, followed by faster, natural speech.
Guffaw features a tight cluster /ɡ/ + /ʌ/ + /f/ + /ɔː/ with a strong first syllable stress and a long, unrounded second vowel. The combination of the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ before a long back vowel /ɔː/ is distinctive; unlike simple 'laugh' (/læf/ or /lɑːf/), guffaw has a robust initial consonant and a lengthened second vowel, which can trip learners focusing on English intonation.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker produce guffaw and repeat in real-time, aiming for identical rhythm and stress. - Minimal pairs: guffaw vs gaffe, gof, golf? Not all; better: /ɡʌf/ as in cuff vs /ɡɔː/ as in gore; compare /ˈɡʌfɔː/ with /ˈɡəfɔː/ to isolate vowel quality. - Rhythm: emphasize strong first syllable; keep long second syllable; practice with ternary rhythm to match natural speech. - Stress: Maintain primary stress on /ˈɡʌ/. - Recording: record yourself, compare with a native sample, note differences in vowel length and mouth shape.
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