SNEER
What does "SNEER" mean?
To smile or speak in a way that shows scorn or contempt.
Meanings
- To curl the lip or smile contemptuously to show scorn or disdain. He sneered at the cheap suit she was wearing.
- To say something in a scornful, mocking way. "You actually believe that?" she sneered.
- A contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or expression. A faint sneer crossed his face as the rookie spoke.
Word origin
From late 17th-century English, probably of Scandinavian or Low German origin and imitative; compare North Frisian 'sneere' (to scorn).
Remember it
A SNEER turns up at one side like the 'r' tail at the word's end — the lip lifts, the sound curls.
A little poem
The lip ascends but holds no joy aloft-
a smile gone hard where once a smile was soft.
couplet
Wordplay
- What's the difference between a smile and a sneer? About one degree of warmth and all the difference in the world.
What it teaches
Contempt costs the wearer more than the target: a sneer ages a face faster than any smile.
Quick facts
What does SNEER mean?
To smile or speak in a way that shows scorn or contempt.
Is SNEER a valid word?
Yes — SNEER is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SNEER?
SNEER has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SNEER come from?
From late 17th-century English, probably of Scandinavian or Low German origin and imitative; compare North Frisian 'sneere' (to scorn).
What can SNEER teach us?
Contempt costs the wearer more than the target: a sneer ages a face faster than any smile.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.