sneeze

verb

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\ ˈsnēz

sneezed; sneezing

Definition of sneeze

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

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

sneeze at

informal : to make light of —always used in negative statements to indicate something that is important or deserves attention … a red ribbon for second place is not to be sneezed at or scorned.— Richard Peck Perquisites and severance pay are nothing to sneeze at [=are significant]

sneeze

noun

Definition of sneeze (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act or instance of sneezing

Other Words from sneeze More Example Sentences Learn More About sneeze

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Examples of sneeze in a Sentence

Verb She was constantly sneezing and coughing.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb After measuring how quickly the elephant could use its trunk to suck up water, the researchers calculated that elephant noses could inhale at speeds exceeding 490 feet per second, or almost 30 times as fast as humans can sneeze out of ours. — New York Times, 1 June 2021 Customers can sneeze or cough on the items or flout cocktail party etiquette and spear subsequent samples with the same toothpick. — Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2020 The World Health Organization has recommended half that distance — and only when people are coughing or sneezing. — Catherine Marfin, Dallas News, 5 May 2020 People should also avoid touching their faces and cover their mouths when sneezing or coughing. — Nicole Chavez, CNN, 28 Mar. 2020 Health officials also offered these ways to prevent spreading a flu virus: Cover your nose and mouth with tissue when sneezing or coughing. — Terry Demio, Cincinnati.com, 13 Dec. 2019 Practice good hygiene: wash your hands with soap and water frequently, cough and sneeze into your elbow, avoid touching your face. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2020 Cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw it away. — Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 20 Mar. 2020 Using dress up, Brandon Bear at one point imagines himself a hero and along with Persona shows kids how to wash their hands and cover their mouths when coughing or sneeze into a tissue or elbow. — Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun OGs look at his homers, RBI and lack of a great all-around game and sneeze. — Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 17 Aug. 2021 The virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when people breathe, talk, cough or sneeze. — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2021 That's 30-times faster than a human sneeze and faster than most high speed trains. — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2021 Early in the pandemic, U.S. health authorities believed the virus spread primarily by direct contact or relatively large droplets from a nearby cough or sneeze—not by far smaller droplets, called aerosols, that linger in the air. — Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2021 Interrupting a comedic moment to gather behavioral data is like interrupting a sneeze. — Andrea Morris, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2021 Hand sanitizer can’t penetrate mucus, like the droplets that come from a sneeze, Poland said. — BostonGlobe.com, 5 July 2021 That means that spraying the virus onto someone nearby through a cough or sneeze is more of a concern than particles that might be lingering in the air. — Tonya Russell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2021 Their estimate of 150 meters per second, or 335 miles per hour, is about 30 times as fast as a typical human sneeze. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 June 2021

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.

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Dictionary Entries Near sneeze

sneeshing

sneeze

sneeze gas

Statistics for sneeze

Cite this Entry

“Sneeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sneeze. Accessed 18 Oct. 2021.

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More Definitions for sneeze

sneeze

verb

English Language Learners Definition of sneeze

: 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.

See the full definition for sneeze in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sneeze

verb

\ ˈsnēz

sneezed; sneezing

Kids Definition of sneeze

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

sneeze

noun

Kids Definition of sneeze (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act or instance of sneezing

sneeze

intransitive verb

\ ˈsnēz

sneezed; sneezing

Medical Definition of sneeze

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

sneeze

noun

Medical Definition of sneeze (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act or instance of sneezing