as in to laugh
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
She sneered at me in disgust.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sneer
Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
In character as a free spirit who scorns social convention, Davis is all haughty tosses of the head and sneering lines.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
With his sneers at foreign troops who sacrificed for America, Trump has done more than alienate America’s closest allies.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sneer
Verb
Texas and Florida were COVID-19 wildfires, where the rates of infection soared due to the irresponsible actions of their respective governors who allowed businesses to remain open, all but sneered at immunization and encouraged people to gather maskless at public venues.
—Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
In character as a free spirit who scorns social convention, Davis is all haughty tosses of the head and sneering lines.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
Yes, y’all—grandma’s decor and furniture may have gotten some sneers of disapproval over the years, but now more than ever, people are using her charming style as inspiration for home design.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
With his sneers at foreign troops who sacrificed for America, Trump has done more than alienate America’s closest allies.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sneer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneer
Verb
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So much of a family's focus narrows onto the child, but watching a brother, sister, or parent get to laugh again carries its own weight.—
Jon Youshaei,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
My musical theater peers would have been very hard on me [laughs].—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
30 May 2026
Noun
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An elderly man offered a smirk for his mugshot after being arrested in a caught-on-camera hit-and-run involving a cyclist group.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
The prospect of doing it again with even larger stakes brought an excited smirk to Smart’s face.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His review of the stadium would leave Charlotte fans smiling, too.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2026
-
Maddy smiles when that happens.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
1 June 2026
Noun
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There were snickers from some of the other students, including a tall and lank-haired kid whose name Adele didn’t know.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Early never makes fun of Maddie, never lets the audience snicker at the screen.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 May 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
Noun
-
The mayor exited through the back door to escape the jeers of his audience.—
Kevin Lozano,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
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Whistles and jeers inside the Bernabeu have become increasingly common — aimed not only at players but occasionally even at Perez.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneer. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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