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Evil laughter

What is evil laughter? A clear definition from the sound design section of our glossary, with 12 related terms and further reading.

Definition of Evil laughter

Evil laughter or maniacal laughter is a distinct laughter that is typically exhibited by villains in fiction. It is associated with the horror genre.

Evil laughter may be written as muah hahaha or bwahahaha. They are used by supervillains in comic books and video games, generally when some form of victory is attained, to indicate superiority over another, or to mock another character's earnestness.

Maniacal laughter may confirm a character's villainy, signaling gratification from performing acts of evil. Deliberately expressing delight in crisis situations is distinctly inappropriate and thus may cause viewers to see a character as an enemy.

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

What is Evil laughter?

Evil laughter or maniacal laughter is a distinct laughter that is typically exhibited by villains in fiction. It is associated with the horror genre.

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