as in to grimace
to smile in an unpleasant way because you are pleased with yourself, glad about someone else's trouble, etc.
She tried not to smirk when they announced the winner.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smirk
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
With this, Friedmann smirked at Hall and gave a quick wave of the hand.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2026
Gates, no relation to Antonio, offers a shrug and a smirk.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Verb
When told that Hyland modeled his game after the famed streetballer Hot Sauce from the And-1 Mixtape Tour, Finch smirked.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
With this, Friedmann smirked at Hall and gave a quick wave of the hand.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
Barcelona, created by a small group of rock-and-roll writers from Buenos Aires, approached news stories from Argentina and around the world with a smirk.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2026
Gates, no relation to Antonio, offers a shrug and a smirk.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirk
Verb
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In the sixth, Pasquantino grimaced during the follow-through on his swing.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
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As the others grinned and grimaced at their rivals’ responses, Becerra was as stone-faced as Buster Keaton.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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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From the sneer of Billy Idol to the smooth sashaying of Sade, the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees amplify the institution’s commitment to recognizing a diverse slate.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For a few seconds, everyone at Progressive Field — players, umpires, fans, cotton candy vendors — stared at the video board, awaiting the handy diagram that would determine whether the Cleveland Guardians’ lead was in jeopardy.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The couple sat in a vestibule inside the Aurora immigration detention facility on a Saturday in March, staring at each other through the glass barrier separating the incarcerated from the free.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The dialogue is overladen with snicker-worthy cliches, a swelling, melodramatic soundtrack that doesn’t match the mood, dubious cameos and plastic, perfunctory life-affirming quotes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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Leaving home without a hat, scarf, gloves, umbrella, and/or scowl.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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My sister was scowling and pacing the path outside my mother’s flat.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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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,
The Economist,
26 Dec. 2019
Verb
-
Levin has not denied paying for story tips, which is frowned upon by traditional journalism outlets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Mother frowned, then perked up.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirk. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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