as in laughing
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
they brushed off his sneer and went about their business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sneering
Cassie’s OnlyFans adventures, for interest, were depicted with a kind of sneering derision toward the character’s poor judgement and lack of savvy.
—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Newman’s God is laughing at our prayers, sneering at our cries for help.
—
Time,
6 May 2026
But there’s also a kind of sneering conventional wisdom toward Vance that doesn’t seem to have much basis in political reality.
—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 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
Chalamet, whose grandmother, mother, and sister all performed with the New York City Ballet, is not sneering at the artists.
—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
That lack of an official accounting encouraged a willful amnesia about the regime’s crimes and, Mendonça Filho has argued, led directly to the 2018 election of Jair Bolsonaro, who ran on a platform of sneering nostalgia for the era of military rule.
—
Michael Snyder,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Where is the patriotism in sneering at America’s great achievements?
—
Emilie G.c. Thompson,
STAT,
15 Jan. 2026
Even the epithets for the Kansas City Chiefs are built on divisional rivalry and that team’s long track record of success, not sneering dismissiveness.
—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
30 Nov. 2025
Alison Herman,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Newman’s God is laughing at our prayers, sneering at our cries for help.
—
Time,
6 May 2026
But there’s also a kind of sneering conventional wisdom toward Vance that doesn’t seem to have much basis in political reality.
—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 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
Chalamet, whose grandmother, mother, and sister all performed with the New York City Ballet, is not sneering at the artists.
—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
That lack of an official accounting encouraged a willful amnesia about the regime’s crimes and, Mendonça Filho has argued, led directly to the 2018 election of Jair Bolsonaro, who ran on a platform of sneering nostalgia for the era of military rule.
—
Michael Snyder,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Where is the patriotism in sneering at America’s great achievements?
—
Emilie G.c. Thompson,
STAT,
15 Jan. 2026
Even the epithets for the Kansas City Chiefs are built on divisional rivalry and that team’s long track record of success, not sneering dismissiveness.
—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneering
Verb
-
Cameras later caught Cunningham laughing as Bonner's meltdown escalated, and both players were hit with technical fouls.
-
Gates recalled laughing at his thriftiness—but for the hedge fund mogul, every penny counts.
Verb
-
Even the commander seemed to be smiling.
-
The girl blew out candles on her Peppa Pig birthday cake, smiling.
Cite this Entry
“Sneering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneering. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
