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\ ˈsnēz 
\
\sneezed; sneezing
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
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
nounDefinition of sneeze (Entry 2 of 2)
: an act or instance of sneezing
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Examples of sneeze in a Sentence
Verb
She was constantly sneezing and coughing.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Customers can sneeze or cough on the items or flout cocktail party etiquette and spear subsequent samples with the same toothpick.
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Washington Post, "To sample is human. But our beloved lipstick testers and cheese cubes aren’t coming back anytime soon.," 31 Aug. 2020 The World Health Organization has recommended half that distance — and only when people are coughing or sneezing.
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Catherine Marfin, Dallas News, "Is 6 feet of social distancing really enough?," 5 May 2020 People should also avoid touching their faces and cover their mouths when sneezing or coughing.
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Nicole Chavez, CNN, "Wash your hands, doo doo doo doo doo. 'Baby Shark' is joining the fight against coronavirus," 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.
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Terry Demio, Cincinnati.com, "Child is among first flu deaths in NKY; health officials renew reminder for vaccinations," 13 Dec. 2019 Practice good hygiene: wash your hands with soap and water frequently, cough and sneeze into your elbow, avoid touching your face.
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Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Don’t Panic: The comprehensive Ars Technica guide to the coronavirus [Updated 4/5]," 5 Apr. 2020 Cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw it away.
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Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, "Your Most Pressing Coronavirus Questions, Answered by Health and Cleaning Professionals," 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.
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Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, "Preschool Show 'Miss Persona' Tackles Kids' Fears in Coronavirus PSA," 20 Mar. 2020 The first is the more obvious, which is from droplets, when someone coughs or sneezes into your face.
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Patrick O'connell, Anchorage Daily News, "Q&A: There are lots of new questions about coronavirus. This doctor has some answers," 14 Mar. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Bob Woodward released another recording from his interviews with President Trump in which the commander in chief recalled a sneeze that cleared the Oval Office during the pandemic.
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Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, "'So easily transmissible': Trump recounts room-clearing sneeze in Woodward tape," 14 Sep. 2020 The visualization is just a simulation of a cough or sneeze.
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Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, "Face Shields and Valved Masks Don’t Fully Stop the Spread of Aerosols," 4 Sep. 2020 Many people say cheek swabs are more comfortable than nasal swabs, which can cause a sneeze, or the deeper nose swabs, which some people describe as somewhere between uncomfortable and painful.
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Sarah Krouse, WSJ, "Covid-19 Tests: Answers on Cost, Accuracy and Turnaround Time," 3 Sep. 2020 The theory goes like this: Lower humidity leaves fewer water droplets in the air capable of intercepting the virus before it can be passed from one person to another through a sneeze or cough.
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Peter Krouse, cleveland, "Beware: Fall and winter could be a friend to COVID-19, experts say," 31 Aug. 2020 Two pieces of tape on the floor show how far a sneeze goes without a mask, about 12 feet, and with a mask, about one foot.
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Alicia Eler, Star Tribune, "St. Paul Science Museum welcomes back visitors with big changes for safety," 20 Aug. 2020 The best ways to prevent the spread is by social distancing, wearing a mask, thoroughly washing your hands and covering a cough or sneeze.
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Dakin Andone, CNN, "Why you shouldn't be worried about getting the coronavirus from food," 13 Aug. 2020 An intense sneeze can launch a high-speed cloud of spit—with droplets of all sizes—as far as 27 feet.
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National Geographic, "What 'airborne coronavirus' means, and how to protect yourself," 11 Aug. 2020 Every sneeze, cough, spoken word, or even exhaled breath expels droplets in a continuum of sizes.
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National Geographic, "What 'airborne coronavirus' means, and how to protect yourself," 11 Aug. 2020
See MoreThese 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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More Definitions for sneeze
sneeze
verbEnglish 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
nounKids 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
nounMedical Definition of sneeze (Entry 2 of 2)
: an act or instance of sneezing
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Time Traveler for sneeze
The first known use of sneeze was in the 14th century
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