as in to grimace
to smile in an unpleasant way because you are pleased with yourself, glad about someone else's trouble, etc.
She tried not to smirk when they announced the winner.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smirk
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
With this, Friedmann smirked at Hall and gave a quick wave of the hand.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
With a smirk on his face, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman interrupted the question.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Verb
When told that Hyland modeled his game after the famed streetballer Hot Sauce from the And-1 Mixtape Tour, Finch smirked.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
With this, Friedmann smirked at Hall and gave a quick wave of the hand.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
His exaggerated blowing of the candle got a knowing smirk from Kate Middleton as the family attended the Christmas service at at Westminster Abbey in 2023.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
With a smirk on his face, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman interrupted the question.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirk
Verb
-
Anthony appeared to tweak his hand after checking his swing during his first-inning at bat, grimacing and flexing his hand after pulling up three quarters of the way through his follow through.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
4 May 2026
-
Mize appeared to grimace after a pair of pitches in the second inning.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
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From the sneer of Billy Idol to the smooth sashaying of Sade, the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees amplify the institution’s commitment to recognizing a diverse slate.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ramzan looked to her, pleading, but Sakeena’s eyes only stared into their reflection on the glass patio door.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
-
Inning after inning, the staring contest continued.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The dialogue is overladen with snicker-worthy cliches, a swelling, melodramatic soundtrack that doesn’t match the mood, dubious cameos and plastic, perfunctory life-affirming quotes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
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The event also had free opportunities to take photos, get ice cream snickers and have earned a Super Bowl post card.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated February 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Leaving home without a hat, scarf, gloves, umbrella, and/or scowl.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
-
My sister was scowling and pacing the path outside my mother’s flat.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each time an audience member so much as sniggers or sneezes, money is docked from a prize pot of £250,000 ($330,000), the slightest noise costing them up to £10,000 ($13,000) each time.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
2 May 2025
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This offbeat comedy, which originally ran from 2007-10, thrives on less explicit social tensions: sniggers behind the back and raised eyebrows at the dinner table.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
26 Dec. 2019
Verb
-
Levin has not denied paying for story tips, which is frowned upon by traditional journalism outlets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Mother frowned, then perked up.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirk. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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