as in laughing
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1
as in grinning
to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward
the soldier smiled in pleasure when he saw the giant sign welcoming him home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sneering
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
smiled at their ridiculous antics and walked away in disgust
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smiling
Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
As Thomas’ parents, Katina Smith and Bobby Thomas, unveiled their son’s smiling statue in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Plaza last Sunday, as scores of his former teammates looked on in sadness and joy, Miller was 800 miles away in Dallas, gearing up for a game against the Cowboys.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 14 May 2026
There was a lot of nervous smiling.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Umanmielen responded with a GIF of a smiling, but famously blind, Stevie Wonder.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
One of the photos featured a selfie of the Aquaman actress smiling into the camera on race day.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
English soccer icon David Beckham featured a carousel of photos on his Instagram page, leading off with a black-and-white children's photo with a smiling Brooklyn holding Harper.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 21 June 2026
Meanwhile, several Yankees, including Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Clarke Schmidt, could be seen smirking and smiling in the dugout as a trainer tended to Chisholm.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
And his face went from smiling ear to ear to not smiling at all.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 19 June 2026
And the gift on Thursday appeared to be well received, with Obama smiling and holding up the tin in a photo with Bush.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Schmaltzy country-pop tunes about smiling at joggers and hanging with your friends’ kids and reveling in domestic comforts?
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 18 June 2026
Legendary Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis (1856-1941) must be smiling from above.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Adjective
Women in black hijabs and abayas, many wearing badges depicting Zahra’s smiling face, lined the streets as men prayed over her casket, placed outside the Husseiniya, a Shiite hall.
—Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
As Thomas’ parents, Katina Smith and Bobby Thomas, unveiled their son’s smiling statue in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Plaza last Sunday, as scores of his former teammates looked on in sadness and joy, Miller was 800 miles away in Dallas, gearing up for a game against the Cowboys.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
Karen Jesch, a PhD student at Boston College’s Canine Cognition Center, points out that human smiling is a strange behavior to begin with, and not always a happy one.
—Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 14 May 2026
There was a lot of nervous smiling.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Umanmielen responded with a GIF of a smiling, but famously blind, Stevie Wonder.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Across over a dozen photos, James is seen hoisting his daughter up on his shoulders, enjoying the family ranch with his son, embracing his young kids, and smiling alongside his wife.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
One of the photos featured a selfie of the Aquaman actress smiling into the camera on race day.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
English soccer icon David Beckham featured a carousel of photos on his Instagram page, leading off with a black-and-white children's photo with a smiling Brooklyn holding Harper.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 21 June 2026
Meanwhile, several Yankees, including Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Clarke Schmidt, could be seen smirking and smiling in the dugout as a trainer tended to Chisholm.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
And his face went from smiling ear to ear to not smiling at all.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 19 June 2026
And the gift on Thursday appeared to be well received, with Obama smiling and holding up the tin in a photo with Bush.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Schmaltzy country-pop tunes about smiling at joggers and hanging with your friends’ kids and reveling in domestic comforts?
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 18 June 2026
Legendary Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis (1856-1941) must be smiling from above.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smiling
Adjective
-
In a June 2 Instagram Reel, Joanna attempts to balance on a 2x4 wooden plank as Chip watches her with an amused expression on his face.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
Jay practically embarrassed Mase, then a pop rapper at Bad Boy Records, not by screaming but by sounding amused.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Keith moved into the center of the balcony, posing and laughing.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
Mira and two friends moved to a low wall and huddled around their own smartwatches, whispering and laughing.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The first slide was a solo shot of Louetta in front of a bundle of pink balloons, grinning from ear-to-ear.—
Laura Millar,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
In another image, the high school graduate could be seen grinning and throwing up peace signs at the camera, looking just like his mom’s twin.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
The mood was jovial, and any banter between the English and Croatian partisans was playful.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
-
Live music and delicious drinks bolster the jovial atmosphere.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Our leads will be abandoning the mean streets of New York City for merry old London.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
-
Starr and his band of merry men would deliver a 100-minute-plus show that was filled with 22 great tunes that most everyone in the house knew by heart.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Many competitors on Wall Street were thus gleeful when Citadel’s main fund fell by fifty-five per cent during the 2008 global financial crisis.—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
His penchant for unexpected painterly modes would consistently mark the artist’s practice, culminating in his recent and gleeful adoption of the iPad and his embrace of immersive digital art.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The problem was that plenty of officials from both the government and national association wanted in on the glory, piggy-backing on the team for a jolly trip to the World Cup.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
The Tar Heels went three-up, three-down in the sixth, but the next inning Gallaher and his teammates were having a jolly time on a clear and cool evening at Charles Schwab Field.—
Eric Olson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
From glassware and accessories to kitchen tabletop and home decor, these functional yet giftable pieces combine cheerful patterns, playful details and practical use.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
-
For the most part, the Croatia and England fans were a happy, cheerful bunch, sporting their teams colors, chanting happy tunes and enjoying the unique experience.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smiling. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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