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Recent Examples of rictus
One of the boys had turned back to the crowd, face skin twisted around wild eyes, red cheeks about to rip apart from the rictus.
—
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 18 May 2026
Its sheer loveliness almost completely undermines the menace of that rictus on the cover.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
Unlike Cesar Romero’s Joker from the child-friendly TV Batman, cheery and inane, Jack Nicholson’s version is fully monstrous—sneering and sadistic, his dead eyes obscene next to his rictus grin.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
There’s even the demand for NDAs and a magazine photoshoot at the enormous house, with everyone smiling their rictus grins.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
Oldman’s features gradually freeze into a rictus of despair, and the lights go out.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The Mirror and the Light opens with that profoundly disturbing execution, Foy a pale rictus of fear and vulnerability as she is led to the block, where she is blindfolded and positioned before the executioner’s sword.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
With their teeth bared in a frozen rictus grin, this couple appears to be hiding a darkness which we are left only to guess at.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 18 May 2026
Its sheer loveliness almost completely undermines the menace of that rictus on the cover.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
Unlike Cesar Romero’s Joker from the child-friendly TV Batman, cheery and inane, Jack Nicholson’s version is fully monstrous—sneering and sadistic, his dead eyes obscene next to his rictus grin.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
There’s even the demand for NDAs and a magazine photoshoot at the enormous house, with everyone smiling their rictus grins.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
Oldman’s features gradually freeze into a rictus of despair, and the lights go out.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The Mirror and the Light opens with that profoundly disturbing execution, Foy a pale rictus of fear and vulnerability as she is led to the block, where she is blindfolded and positioned before the executioner’s sword.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
With their teeth bared in a frozen rictus grin, this couple appears to be hiding a darkness which we are left only to guess at.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rictus
Noun
-
Roy interjected with the mischievous smirk typical of a younger brother trying to ruffle some feathers.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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Her roundup began with a photo of a shadow holding a wine glass outdoors, followed by a selfie with a smirk.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Be prepared for traffic snarls and multiple security checkpoints.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
20 June 2026
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Multiple inbound lanes are blocked as a result, causing a massive traffic snarl and backup.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
With his rakish sneer and ruthlessly tight jodhpurs, Rupert has been thoroughly neutered with irony, transformed into an object for women to pick at.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
-
Of course, the prospect of one of the greatest women’s footballers in history skittering around Bromley on a Saturday lunchtime in front of a smattering of fans inevitably inspires sneers.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
While the officer's body camera was not recording audio at the time the shots were fired, Schielke said her clients never heard the dog bark or growl.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
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Brith, filled with a sudden dread, stands very still, watching it, and the dog, sensing something, emits a low growl.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Sandoval, in comparison, sneers and simpers to no success whatsoever; his bad behavior, on and off The Traitors, yields nothing.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Today’s announcement marks the emergence of a new GE, a high-tech industrial GE — simper, stronger, a more focused company at the core.—
Jon Chesto,
BostonGlobe.com,
26 June 2018
Cite this Entry
“Rictus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rictus. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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