as in to whimper
to complain or cry in an annoying way
The child sniveled until he got his way.
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Recent Examples of snivel
All this in an environment where politicians like Jeff Bridges (running for state treasurer who lives in the Cherry Creek school district) whine and snivel about his associates in the teachers’ union not having the funds to effectively teach our kids.
—
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever).
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Downey redirects all his Tony Stark smarm into this portrait of a sniveling, jealous political worm, a marvelous capstone to his Hollywood comeback story.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 15 Mar. 2026
Faced with the sniveling sum of these failures, Garfield is startled but compassionate.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Throughout many revealing conversations, the braggadocious zeal of Poseidon and Zeus, the sexy aloofness of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and the sniveling bitchery of Hermes and Hypnos were endearing, but all gave way to flawed people who grew deeply over time.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
In the show, Cooke plays the regal Alicent Hightower and Glynn-Carney is her sniveling son, King Aegon Targaryen.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
—Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In league with its sniveling human colleague Gabriel (Esai Morales, cackling with evil intent as if being paid by the cackle), The Entity is hacking into the world’s nuclear defense systems and taking control of the missiles, one paralyzed and panicking nation at a time.
—Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever).
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Downey redirects all his Tony Stark smarm into this portrait of a sniveling, jealous political worm, a marvelous capstone to his Hollywood comeback story.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 15 Mar. 2026
Faced with the sniveling sum of these failures, Garfield is startled but compassionate.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Throughout many revealing conversations, the braggadocious zeal of Poseidon and Zeus, the sexy aloofness of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and the sniveling bitchery of Hermes and Hypnos were endearing, but all gave way to flawed people who grew deeply over time.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
In the show, Cooke plays the regal Alicent Hightower and Glynn-Carney is her sniveling son, King Aegon Targaryen.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
—Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In league with its sniveling human colleague Gabriel (Esai Morales, cackling with evil intent as if being paid by the cackle), The Entity is hacking into the world’s nuclear defense systems and taking control of the missiles, one paralyzed and panicking nation at a time.
—Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snivel
Verb
-
Arms flew around in exasperation, and the woman left the table for such a long time that the large dog lying at their feet sat up and whimpered in the direction of her departure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
As the timer passed seven minutes, Steve Eckert exhorted a whimpering young man to dunk his head underwater.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Rose, though, reddening in the triangle between his eyes and nose, begins to sob.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
2 June 2026
-
After the verdict was read, Cyrus' family sobbed and cried in the courtroom gallery, according to the Associated Press.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Children with the virus may be fussy and sleepy throughout the day, and cry without tears.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Garner later showed how emotional the moment made her by posting a series of photos on Instagram of herself crying.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
These plays all scratch the same exact itch of, say, watching Bachelorette hunks get hooked up to a lie detector or watching Mike White whine about the lack of fine cuisine on Survivor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
And how about the Liberty players and coaches whining about it?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
And yes, that sound will dissipate and soon will be too faint for my human ears as it is absorbed into space, but Renee Gladman writes that spaces moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
The process left Carruthers bleeding and moaning on May 21, according to the witness, Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Expect a lot of kicks, punches, chases and grunts and groans.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
23 May 2026
-
Six audibly groans, like the cyhyraeth echoing on the moors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snivel. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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