as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
a love scene that unintentionally drew sniggers from the audience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to laugh
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
we sniggered as the actor kept forgetting his lines
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 snigger
Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 May 2025
The tribal leader sniggers; a trade with foreign infidels is inconceivable.
—Bing West, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2011
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, 26 Dec. 2019
Most football fans allowed themselves a brief snigger when Florentino Perez suggested that Real Madrid had tried to sign Lionel Messi many moons ago.
—SI.com, 9 Sep. 2017
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2025
Dour officials from the Department of Homeland Security who spotted his posts saw nothing to snigger about.
—The Economist, 8 June 2019
Then early this week the list came out, and sniggering ensued—on both sides of the Atlantic.
—The Economist, 3 Feb. 2018
Noun
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
The tribal leader sniggers; a trade with foreign infidels is inconceivable.
—Bing West, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2011
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, 26 Dec. 2019
Most football fans allowed themselves a brief snigger when Florentino Perez suggested that Real Madrid had tried to sign Lionel Messi many moons ago.
—SI.com, 9 Sep. 2017
Verb
Jaclyn, Laurie, and Kate — immediately reverting back to the bitchy girls who ruled Nowhere High together — sniggered at the scene from behind designer sunnies.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2025
Dour officials from the Department of Homeland Security who spotted his posts saw nothing to snigger about.
—The Economist, 8 June 2019
Then early this week the list came out, and sniggering ensued—on both sides of the Atlantic.
—The Economist, 3 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snigger
Verb
-
In addition, footage from a 1999 Victoria’s Secret fashion event in New York shows Trump and Epstein laughing and chatting together ahead of the runway event.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
23 July 2025
-
Hayward then screamed and laughed after some water went into her mouth.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
Downtown Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tennessee Walking Gatlinburg’s Downtown Parkway is a full-body sensory experience: sweet smells, bright colors, and the soundtrack of bluegrass, rushing water, and laughter.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
21 July 2025
-
Where once there were lawsuits and silence, there is now muscle memory, laughter, a chord progression rediscovered over coffee.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
From left: Charles Kim Haskell smiles in hospital; and is pushed in a wheelchair.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
-
Advertisement Advertisement Cole Palmer looked perplexed and frustrated as Donald Trump stood in front of him, smiling and clapping, even as FIFA President Gianni Infantino could be seen unsuccessfully urging the U.S. President to move aside so as not to obstruct the team’s celebrations.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
If the body language and the giggles weren’t enough to tell you that Taylor and Clarke have a genuine love thing going on, what about the fact that Clarke is willing to entertain cowboy hats at her wedding for this man?—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
9 July 2025
-
Dropping explosive onomatopoeia on enemies while the little girl giggles creates a laugh-out-level point of dissonance.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The carnage leads to a sigh of an epilogue that seems, without giving anything away, like a curious letdown, a cruel little snicker from Aster that doesn’t entirely satisfy.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
15 July 2025
-
League sources stifle their snickers in public while privately marveling at the owner’s ceaseless stupidity. 3.—
Jeff Howe,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snigger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snigger. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share