as in crying
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or snivelling
as in whimpering
to complain or cry in an annoying way
The child sniveled until he got his way.
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Recent Examples of sniveling
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 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
Noun
Bruce Springsteen was speaking truth to power when the titans of industry were caving and sniveling.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniveling
Adjective
-
But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Noun
-
The other thing that was really interesting is this weeping sickness that Sugi described in the beginning.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The scenes of security personnel forcibly removing weeping and resistant settlers deeply divided Israeli society.—
Shira Pinson,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes a woman passing by would grow suspicious, convinced that the girl who was sobbing so hard was my younger sister.—
Annie Ernaux,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
The guest who was with me wouldn’t stop sobbing.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
At low speeds through the town of Imola and villages beyond it, the most prominent sound is the whining of the rear differential.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
18 May 2026
-
That broader perspective may explain why Hamlin’s criticisms rarely sound like post-race whining.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Multiple responders then grasped the canine by the neck and back to lift it onboard, during which the dog could be heard slightly whimpering.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Only this version of Slattery is a whimpering scaredy-cat, who unleashes the beast within at a key moment in the film.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These brain teasers either stick to one sentimental theme or recap the big events in the couple’s lives from over the past year.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
8 Dec. 2025
-
Instead, make like Durham and weave in some older, more sentimental pieces, too.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
8 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
All the readers are sneezing, sniffling, congested, feverish, or hacking up a lung.—
Blythe Roberson,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
Then coughing, sniffling and full-on congestion, with or without fever, for a few insufferable days.—
Mary J. Scourboutakos,
The Conversation,
14 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sniveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniveling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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