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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in laughing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of smiling
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
With her hair in bouncy curls that rival Sarah Jessica Parker’s in the iconic TV show, the singer struts through 30 Rock while smiling at her own inner monologue.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2025
During the 25-minute interview on Fox News’ The Story, an ever-smiling Mamdani seemed to respond to anchor Martha MacCallum‘s questions with ease.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
Gabriele said in a March post with a smiling photo with the candidate.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
The younger woman smiling coyly, as if with a secret, while the older of the two, still young herself, anxious and polite, looks at the strange columns in the kitchen, trying not to be rude about it.
—Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
After more typical posing and smiling together, Black hit the ground to post next to Watts’ star.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Blazy gives Odhiang a deep hug, jogs around the runway, and flees toward the exit, smiling.
—Nathan Heller, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
Last month, Rucker revealed their relationship to the world by sharing a smiling selfie of the couple standing outside Sphere in Las Vegas.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Umanmielen responded with a GIF of a smiling, but famously blind, Stevie Wonder.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Everyone was smiling, hooting and hollering.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
With her hair in bouncy curls that rival Sarah Jessica Parker’s in the iconic TV show, the singer struts through 30 Rock while smiling at her own inner monologue.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2025
During the 25-minute interview on Fox News’ The Story, an ever-smiling Mamdani seemed to respond to anchor Martha MacCallum‘s questions with ease.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
Gabriele said in a March post with a smiling photo with the candidate.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
The younger woman smiling coyly, as if with a secret, while the older of the two, still young herself, anxious and polite, looks at the strange columns in the kitchen, trying not to be rude about it.
—Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
After more typical posing and smiling together, Black hit the ground to post next to Watts’ star.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Blazy gives Odhiang a deep hug, jogs around the runway, and flees toward the exit, smiling.
—Nathan Heller, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
Last month, Rucker revealed their relationship to the world by sharing a smiling selfie of the couple standing outside Sphere in Las Vegas.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smiling
Verb
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In the nearly two-minute preview, fans get a glimpse at how present her now-fiancé was behind the scenes, at one point crouching underneath the stage and grinning wide as the pop star bends down and kisses him on the cheek.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
13 Oct. 2025
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Twenty yards melting into history, Martin tumbled forward and rose grinning, his team’s fake punt gamble striking gold.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To promote the line, Blakely would travel across the country and was interviewed by every DJ who loved laughing and talking about the word Spanx, who were mostly men.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
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Cartman starts laughing so hard that he projectile vomits all over Thiel.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The short clip, which was posted to the platform under @samira_she, has been viewed more than 427,000 times to date, sparking a flurry of amused comments from TikTok users.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
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James later shared the ad on social media with winking and tongue-sticking-out emojis; much of his audience, however, was not so amused, and one lifelong fan even sued.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In another vignette, Swift is part of a Supremes-like girl group entertaining a speakeasy full of jovial patrons.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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Eventually the in-studio warm-up comic, Don Barris, a jovial pro with a Taftian mustache, led a few applause drills.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In the weeks that followed, the secretary also removed every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory committee, replacing them with a merry band of loyalists and skeptics.—
Eli Cahan,
Rolling Stone,
16 Oct. 2025
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Instead of treats, this calendar is packed with a mix of exciting goodies like plush toys, kicker toys, balls and popular stimulants like catnip and silvervine to keep your kitty playful and merry.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the commentariat at large has taken them as license to indulge in unchecked, gleeful misogyny.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Oct. 2025
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Of course, title notwithstanding, this opener is as gleeful as the rest of the record, as Swift sings about being rescued from a descent into Shakespearian madness by her happy-go-lucky baller.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Given the economic uncertainty of inflationary pressures and tariffs, this holiday season could be a less jolly one for retailers.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
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There will be games, food, contests, and jolly times for all.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Companies such as OpenAI fine-tune the models behind modern chatbots not just to imitate existing writing, but to use the particularly bland and cheerful style that any chatbot user recognizes.—
Vauhini Vara,
The Atlantic,
16 Oct. 2025
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Instead, consider small chairs or stools that can easily be moved and/or repainted to create a cheerful gathering spot, suggests Westbrook.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smiling. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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