a nervous laugh

Translations
нервный смех
He let out a nervous laugh during the tense meeting.
Он выпустил нервный смех во время напряжённой встречи.
Definitions
A nervous laugh is a type of laughter that occurs in response to anxiety, discomfort, or awkwardness, often characterized by a high-pitched or forced sound, and may serve as a coping mechanism to relieve tension in a stressful situation.