sneeze

verb \ ˈsnēz \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: sneeze in a Sentence

Definition of sneeze

sneezed; sneezing

intransitive verb

: to make a sudden violent spasmodic audible expiration of breath through the nose and mouth especially as a reflex act

—

sneezer

noun

— sneeze at

: to make light of

the cost was nothing to sneeze at

See sneeze defined for English-language learners

See sneeze defined for kids

Examples of sneeze in a Sentence

She was constantly sneezing and coughing.

Recent Examples of sneeze from the Web

Morrow probably wasn’t aware of the Cubs’ bizarre history of injuries, which included Sammy Sosa famously sneezing his way onto the disabled list in 2004, suffering an oblique injury with a ginormous sneeze in the clubhouse in San Diego.

— paul sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "Brandon Morrow not fretting over people mocking his back injury," 20 June 2018
And some of the stuff that’s growing is making us sneeze and suffer.

— kelsey ryan, kansascity, "Are your allergies getting worse? Climate change may be to blame," 19 June 2018
The cats start sneezing and have nasal discharge but usually do not cough.

— saryn chorney, PEOPLE.com, "As Dog Flu Spreads from Brooklyn into Manhattan, N.Y.C. Veterinarians Issue Urgent Warnings to Pet Parents," 29 May 2018
But a pair of world championships is still nothing to sneeze at.

— jim ayello, Indianapolis Star, "A letter to Fernando Alonso: Time is right to make jump to IndyCar," 18 June 2018
Either way, $288,000 total from the Legend-Teigen family members is nothing to sneeze at.

— emily wang, Teen Vogue, "Chrissy Teigen Donates to the ACLU, Posts Statement About Immigrant Family Separation Policy on Trump's Birthday," 14 June 2018
The ex-Miami Hurricane ran a 4.5 at his pro day — which is nothing to sneeze at — but he wasn't considered in the same class as Stills or Grant.

— adam h. beasley, miamiherald, "Who's been the fastest Dolphin receiver so far at OTAs? The answer might surprise you," 31 May 2018
While the winnings will not be the windfall the soccer club Leicester City delivered to fans who got 5,000-1 odds on the middling club winning the Premier League two years ago, the money will be nothing to sneeze at.

— matt rybaltowski, New York Times, "Golden Betting Slips for the Golden Knights," 30 May 2018
And this gustnado was nothing to sneeze at, either.

— leigh morgan, AL.com, "'Gustnado' blamed for damage on Lake Guntersville last Saturday," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sneeze.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of sneeze

Middle English snesen, alteration of fnesen, from Old English fnēosan; akin to Middle High German pfnūsen to snort, sneeze, Greek pnein to breathe

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

sneeze

noun

Definition of sneeze

: an act or instance of sneezing

Recent Examples of sneeze from the Web

Pancakes with various fillings cooked in front mall hallway without sneeze guards.

— lorraine longhi, azcentral, "Chicken, tuna salad and other foods too hot or too cold in restaurant inspections," 13 June 2018
While the lucky guests at the royal wedding were taking in the beauty of the day, James Corden was focused on not letting a sneeze ruin a quiet moment.

— stephanie petit, PEOPLE.com, "James Corden Was Battling Allergies at the Royal Wedding: I 'Needed to Sneeze' During Ceremony," 22 May 2018
Just a sneeze could cause his ribs to break, Alma Cabacungan said.

— caitlin mullen, chicagotribune.com, "'He brings a smile to everyone he meets': Basketball court at Shriners Hospital named in honor of Oak Parker," 22 May 2018
Burns, Oregon, is a tiny, rural sneeze-and-you’ll-miss-it town in the remote southeastern part of the state.

— leah sottile, Longreads, "Bundyville Chapter One: A War in the Desert," 15 May 2018
There but for the grace of God went he: One sneeze and he would neither have seen the Promised Land nor been around to guide his fellow wanderers through the wilderness.

— julia felsenthal, Vogue, "HBO’s King in the Wilderness Takes On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Last Act," 30 Mar. 2018
Next time, the sneeze on the other side of the world could be much more dangerous.

— liz schrayer, Time, "Why America Could Become Vulnerable to the Next Major Pandemic," 27 Feb. 2018
And warmer average temperatures mean that spring starts earlier and winter arrives later, giving pollen producers more time to spew their sneeze-inducing particles.

— umair irfan, Vox, "It’s not your imagination. Allergy season gets worse every year.," 28 Apr. 2018
As if itchy, watery eyes and a congested nose aren't annoying enough, those symptoms can cause puffiness, redness, and make your eye makeup one sneeze away from running down your face.

— marci robin, Allure, "How to Conceal Your Seasonal Allergy Symptoms With Makeup," 19 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of sneeze

1646

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SNEEZE Defined for English Language Learners

sneeze

verb

Definition of sneeze for English Language Learners

: to suddenly force air out through your nose and mouth with a usually loud noise because your body is reacting to dust, a sickness, etc.

SNEEZE Defined for Kids

sneeze

verb \ ˈsnēz \

Definition of sneeze for Students

sneezed; sneezing

: to force the breath out in a sudden and noisy way

sneeze

noun

Definition of sneeze for Students

: an act or instance of sneezing

Medical Dictionary

sneeze

intransitive verb \ ˈsnēz \

medical Definition of sneeze

sneezed; sneezing

: to make a sudden violent spasmodic audible expiration of breath through the nose and mouth especially as a reflex act following irritation of the nasal mucous membrane