Making a loud, harsh laughing sound, often associated with witches or hens.
From Middle English 'cakelen,' imitative of the sound itself. The word mimics the actual harsh, repetitive noise a hen makes, similar to how 'giggle' and 'chuckle' mimic other laugh types. The -ing form shows the action in progress.
Cackling is one of the oldest onomatopoeia words in English, showing up in Shakespeare's works. The sound is so distinctive that different cultures developed similar words—Dutch has 'kakelen' and German has 'gackern'—all trying to capture that exact harsh laugh.
Cackling has been weaponized against women, particularly older women and women in power, as a dismissive caricature of female laughter. The term intensified in modern political discourse to mock and diminish women's voices.
Use 'laughing,' 'laughing loudly,' or 'chuckling' instead. If describing actual sound, be specific: 'high-pitched laugh' or 'sharp laugh' without gendered mockery.
["laughing","chuckling","laughing loudly","sharp laugh"]
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