rictus

noun

Definition of rictusnext
as in smirk

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rictus
  1. smirk
  2. snarl
  3. sneer
  4. growl
  5. simper
Noun
  • Robinson appeared to furrow his brow and smirk as the text messages about the engravings were displayed in the courtroom.
    — Hannah Schoenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The self-aware smirk and carefree bounce of the record is a bit of a surprise, though.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of smirk
Noun
  • Someone like Mason Marchment — who can score and play with snarl — could be a multi-year option, but giving out long-term deals to free agents in their 30s is risky, especially considering the current state of the Rangers.
    — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Downtown traffic is a snarl and parking isn’t easy even on routine days.
    — Howard Cohen June 24, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
Definition of snarl
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
Definition of sneer
Noun
  • From somewhere behind her, a bandmate gives off a death metal growl.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
  • Hearing that growl, that was bone chilling, but working with the jaguar was awesome.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
Definition of growl
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
Definition of simper

Browse Nearby Words

ricochets
rictus
rictuses
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Rictus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rictus. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All