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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Recent Examples of smirk
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
During the court hearing at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa Ana, Wedding, who wore a beige jail uniform and black Crocs, scanned the gallery and occasionally smirked.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2026
The bus drivers do nothing to enforce the rules, and we seniors are left trudging down the bus aisle while the people in the seats smirk, look at their phones and talk to each other.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Verb
Linda Liddle is an office workhorse who has spent her career trying to get ahead by working late and grinding out quarterly reports through lunch at her desk, only to see the credit stolen by whatever smirking golf buddy has leapfrogged her up the corporate ladder.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
During the court hearing at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa Ana, Wedding, who wore a beige jail uniform and black Crocs, scanned the gallery and occasionally smirked.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
And Nix, often with a smirk, will return the volley.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2026
The bus drivers do nothing to enforce the rules, and we seniors are left trudging down the bus aisle while the people in the seats smirk, look at their phones and talk to each other.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirk
Verb
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Edgecombe was fouled by San Antonio's Carter Bryant on a 3-point attempt on Tuesday night and grimaced as he was helped up by his teammates.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Williams knocked knees late in the fourth quarter against Houston and immediately grimaced, but didn’t show any effects after posting 20 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Valarr asks Ser Duncan with a sneer.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Balat stared ahead at the defense table.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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But viewers might not have to fill those three minutes staring at Lionel Messi downing a Gatorade.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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While there were a few snickers, the photographers obliged and got their photos.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Those that attended mostly sat and scowled.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
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He was picked up first on meth charges on May 14, 1986, according to news reports and a San Francisco police booking photo, which shows him in a blue hoodie scowling into the camera.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Father-to-son succession has been frowned upon since the monarchy was topped in 1979.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
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With some franchises in this intensely competitive market, stockpiling high picks and doing a rebuild is frowned upon if not out-and-out rejected by fans.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirk. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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