sneer

1 of 2

verb

ˈsnir 

sneered; sneering; sneers

intransitive verb

1

: to smile or laugh with facial contortions that express scorn or contempt

2

: to speak or write in a scornfully jeering manner

transitive verb

: to utter with a sneer

sneerer noun

sneer

2 of 2

noun

: the act of sneering

also : a sneering expression or remark

Synonyms

Verb

• laugh
• smile
• snicker
• snigger

Choose the Right Synonym for sneer

scoff, jeer, gibe, fleer, sneer, flout mean to show one's contempt in derision or mockery.

scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision.

scoffed at their concerns

jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision.

the crowd jeered at the prisoners

gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision.

hooted and gibed at the umpire

fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively.

the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity

sneer stresses insulting by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice.

sneered at anything romantic

flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed.

flouted the conventions of polite society

Examples of sneer in a Sentence

Verb

“You obviously don't know what you're talking about,” she sneered.

Noun

She looked at me with a sneer of disgust.

“They're paranoid,” he said with a sneer.

The novel elicited sneers from the critics.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

And as first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Paapa Essiedu (Black Mirror) will take on the role of the sneering Potions Professor Severus Snape. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2025

Yet everything remains the same for Delia whose romantic fantasies have given way to an embrace of her roles as dutiful wife and loving mother despite the sneering condescension and outright physical abuse at the hands of her strutting petty tyrant husband Ivano (Valerio Mastandrea). —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025

Noun

But the moralistic sneer didn’t take long to enter the postgame analysis. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

The male characters are, typically, petulant narcissists with perpetual sneers who insult and cajole their female love interests into almost invariably unhealthy relationships. —Josh Bell, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably akin to Middle High German snerren to chatter, gossip — more at snore

First Known Use

Verb

1680, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1707, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sneer

• beer
• bier
• cheer
• clear
• dear
• deer
• drear
• ear
• fear
• fier
• gear
• hear

Kids Definition

sneer

1 of 2 verb

ˈsni(ə)r 

1

: to smile or laugh with expressions of scorn

2

: to speak or write in a scorning manner

sneerer noun

sneer

2 of 2 noun

: a sneering expression or remark