smirk 1 of 2

verb

Definition of smirknext
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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smirk

2 of 2

noun

as in sneer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 smirk
Verb
Ricci first shared a photo from the school trip, where she could be seen sitting in the back of the school bus and smirking at the camera in big sunglasses. — Hannah Sacks, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025 For as much as Soderbergh has been credited with helping to elevate George Clooney’s film career — creating the right platform for his suave, slightly smirking silver-screen persona — not enough has been said about the rapport he’s had with Clooney’s Ocean’s costar. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
These terms are often tossed around with a smirk, used to describe parents who hover over every detail of their children’s lives—ensuring every problem is fixed, every obstacle removed. — Marvin Krislov, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 The fifth season of Hulu’s hit dystopian series had began with the smirk seen ’round the globe that pit June Osborne (Moss) against Serena Joy Waterford (Strahovski). — Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for smirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirk
  1. sneer
  2. stare
  3. snicker
  4. scowl
  5. snigger
  6. frown
Noun
  • Acacia had some trouble initially with her recording—which led to sneers from her fellow queens—but eventually found her voice for the final production.
    — Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Sandoval, in comparison, sneers and simpers to no success whatsoever; his bad behavior, on and off The Traitors, yields nothing.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of sneer
Verb
  • But halfway into the season, Moiraine has mostly done a lot of staring and a little bit of really amateurish manipulation that backfires spectacularly.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • JuJu Watkins, the star sophomore, stared blankly ahead, offering only a slow, deliberate clap.
    — Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of stare
Noun
  • League sources stifle their snickers in public while privately marveling at the owner’s ceaseless stupidity. 3.
    — Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
  • So he must be placed in the Apparition section, next to ghosts like John Barron, sharing a snicker with Ivana.
    — Greg Marotta, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
Definition of snicker
Verb
  • For Halloween, Rick showed up wearing the same shirt Blake always wore, scowled and walked around with a Monster drink all night long.
    — Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 19 July 2024
  • Does slapping Pattinson’s scowling face on the phenomenon lead us to see it any differently?
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 Feb. 2025
Definition of scowl
Noun
  • 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, The Economist, 26 Dec. 2019
Definition of snigger
Verb
  • The idea of dreaming beyond that was not commonplace, and in a lot of instances it was frowned upon.
    — Ismail Muhammad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Republicans and Republican-leaning independents frowned only a little less on Zuckerberg, with 60% holding unfavorable views and 34% favorable.
    — Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 19 Feb. 2025
Definition of frown

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“Smirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirk. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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