What Does Dreaming of Laughing Mean?
Traditional Interpretation
In traditional interpretation (Ibn Sirin, Nabulsi), a smile or quiet laughter may point to relief, joy, and good news, whereas loud, excessive laughter is, according to most commentators, a sign of sorrow, grief, or tears to come. It is said that the more exuberant the laughter, the greater the grief in waking life may be.
Psychological View
From a modern psychological perspective (Jung/Freud), laughing in a dream may be the outward expression of repressed joy or tension; at times it can also be read as a defense mechanism of the unconscious—masking anxiety and softening the encounter with the shadow side. Whether the laughter in the dream feels relieving or forced can offer a clue to one's inner emotional balance.
By Context
A Smile / Quiet Laughter
Smiling quietly may point to relief, inner peace, and good news soon to arrive.
Laughing Out Loud Excessively
Full-throated, loud laughter may—in traditional interpretation—point to the very opposite: sorrow, grief, or tears.
For a Single Person
A single person seeing themselves laugh may point to a marriage or a new bond of affection in the near future.
Waking Up Laughing
Waking up laughing is considered highly auspicious; it may indicate that affairs will go well and a season of abundance lies ahead.