as in laughs
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
they brushed off his sneer and went about their business
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Recent Examples of sneers
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Meanwhile her old-school Communist grandmother sneers at the tactics her Red Diaper daughter employed.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneers
Verb
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One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In one snap, the foursome laughs as Crown Prince Christian pretends to grab his younger brother's neck.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Endorsement watch Attorney General Chris Carr (right) smiles with his wife, Joan Carr, after casting his vote during the first day of early voting Monday for Georgia's primary elections.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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The family smiles while dressed casually and barefoot, squinting from the sun's rays.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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While there were a few snickers, the photographers obliged and got their photos.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The jeers from 76ers fans began hours before the Celtics took the court Friday night for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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When the Wagners have stepped to the free-throw line, the main video board inside Rocket Arena has shown the University of Michigan logo in an attempt to prompt jeers.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When the Huskies took the court here, they were booed roundly and Hurley’s postgame interview with CBS was nearly drowned by the catcalls.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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All three Republican gubernatorial candidates also had fun in the aftermath of the catcalls.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Clearing right-of-way strips can result in the loss of trees and native vegetation; crackles, hisses and humming can be heard nearby especially during periods of high humidity; and farm fields and animal habitat can be affected by construction activities.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sneers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneers. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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