as in laughs
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
they brushed off his sneer and went about their business
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Recent Examples of sneers
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Meanwhile her old-school Communist grandmother sneers at the tactics her Red Diaper daughter employed.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneers
Verb
-
One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In one snap, the foursome laughs as Crown Prince Christian pretends to grab his younger brother's neck.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Chloe Cherry smiles for the camera and pops her hip in a black gown with a sheer panel at the premiere of Netflix's Roommates in Los Angeles.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Melton channels that indecision into a physicality that feels like a child being told to sit still and smiles that increasingly don’t reach his eyes.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 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
-
While there were a few snickers, the photographers obliged and got their photos.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
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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On the Orioles’ opening day, the governor was introduced and greeted with a cacophony of boos and jeers.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When the Huskies took the court here, they were booed roundly and Hurley’s postgame interview with CBS was nearly drowned by the catcalls.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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All three Republican gubernatorial candidates also had fun in the aftermath of the catcalls.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Clearing right-of-way strips can result in the loss of trees and native vegetation; crackles, hisses and humming can be heard nearby especially during periods of high humidity; and farm fields and animal habitat can be affected by construction activities.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sneers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneers. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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