snickering 1 of 2

noun

as in laughter

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snickering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of snicker
1
as in laughing
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions he snickered at the puzzled look on her face

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in giggling
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound only hard-core fans of teen comedies will snicker at this lame attempt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 snickering
Noun
Satire for political snickering. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026 This rare unity across the aisle in the wake of a horrible tragedy left TMZ, the popular entertainment news platform known for its tenacity and deluge of scoops, on the defensive about the on-air snickering. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
However, there is no rule prohibiting snickering in private. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 26 May 2026 But after the boy’s friends started snickering, Gramps shifted to a more succinct potato reference. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 14 Jan. 2026 But then, both songs get the film’s most showstopping presentations, so snickering evidently wasn’t the goal. — Bob Strauss, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Dec. 2025 As the Columbus Blue Jackets were set to make their sixth-round pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, one of the club’s former scouts, Rob Riley, heard snickering among his colleagues at their table on the draft floor. — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 My friend can be forgiven for snickering. — Murr Brewster, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snickering
  1. laughter
  2. laughing
  3. giggling
  4. smiling
  5. chuckling
  6. screaming
Noun
  • The late-morning sun peeked through a gauzy veil of fog, bright laughter echoing over the giddy whisper of tulle as the brides posed for pictures outside the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • The atmosphere resembles a game show as much as a dating event, with laughter, applause and anticipation filling the room before the first pitch even begins.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
Definition of laughter
Verb
  • Imagine tall trees across the lake, a calm breeze, children laughing in the distance, the scent of your old canvas tent – there’s no forgetting the sights, sounds, smells and feel of summer camp.
    — Seth T. Kannarr, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • Darnbrough told the judge that Wilson was seen laughing in surveillance video recovered after the attack.
    — Julie Hanson, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of laughing
Verb
  • On a recent afternoon outside the temple in central Kerala, Raman stood motionless as two children played, giggling and hugging its trunk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • Donna and Swift were seen hugging and giggling in their suite at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium alongside the singer's A-list pals.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of giggling
Verb
  • His statement included a smiling picture of the senator with his wife Elaine Chao, a tacit response to speculation online that McConnell had died or was incapacitated.
    — Mary Clare Jalonick, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • The happy couple also shared a low-key smiling selfie as part of their announcement post, which appeared to have been taken in a photo booth.
    — Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
Definition of smiling
Verb
  • In a New York Times interview, producer Tyran Donaldson, who has also worked with SZA, recalled chuckling at listening to the Diamonds work with the instrument.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026
  • And The Rest Is Football(Netflix, YouTube) is the latest podcast to make the leap to the small screen, with former England internationals Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and the ever-chuckling Micah Richards serving up a daily helping of World Cup analysis alongside the usual chummy banter.
    — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 10 June 2026
Definition of chuckling
Verb
  • In the video, the crowd could be heard cheering and screaming.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 13 July 2026
  • No stranger to delivering a live performance for thousands of screaming fans, Dwayne Johnson is looking to add a Broadway show to his extensive resume.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 July 2026
Definition of screaming

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snickering
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Cite this Entry

“Snickering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snickering. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on snickering

Nglish: Translation of snickering for Spanish Speakers

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