Sneer — meaning, pronunciation & more

Definition

a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls

a contemptuous or scornful remark

Pronunciation

🇺🇸American English

/snˈɪɹ/

🇬🇧British English

/snˈiə/

🇮🇳Indian English

/snˈiə/

1 syllable Say it as /snˈɪɹ/.

Examples

she sneered her contempt
she sneered at her little sister's efforts to play the song on the piano

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

leer

Parts of Speech

noun	a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls
noun	a contemptuous or scornful remark
verb	express through a scornful smile “she sneered her contempt”
verb	smile contemptuously “she sneered at her little sister's efforts to play the song on the piano”

Word Forms

sneer	verb	express through a scornful smile
leery	adjective	openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
leer	verb	look suggestively or obliquely; look or gaze with a sly, immodest, or malign expression
sneer	noun	a contemptuous or scornful remark
sneerer	noun	a person who expresses contempt by remarks or facial expression

Around the World

Europe

🇩🇪German

spotten

ein Gesichtsausdruck der Verachtung oder Verachtung; die Oberlippe kräuselt sich

🇫🇷French

ricanement

une expression faciale de mépris ou de mépris ; la lèvre supérieure se recourbe

🇪🇸Spanish

burla

una expresión facial de desprecio o desprecio; el labio superior se curva

🇮🇹Italian

ghigno

un'espressione facciale di disprezzo o disprezzo; il labbro superiore si arriccia

🇳🇱Dutch

grijns

een gezichtsuitdrukking van minachting of minachting; de bovenlip krult

🇵🇹Portuguese

zombar

uma expressão facial de desprezo ou desprezo; o lábio superior se curva

🇷🇺Russian

насмешка

выражение лица презрения или презрения; верхняя губа скручивается

India

🇮🇳Hindi

उपहास

तिरस्कार या तिरस्कार की चेहरे की अभिव्यक्ति; ऊपरी होंठ मुड़ जाता है

🇧🇩Bengali

উপহাস

অবজ্ঞা বা অবজ্ঞার মুখের অভিব্যক্তি; উপরের ঠোঁটের কার্ল

🇮🇳Tamil

ஏளனம் செய்

அவமதிப்பு அல்லது அவமதிப்பின் முகபாவனை; மேல் உதடு சுருட்டுகிறது

🇮🇳Telugu

ఎగతాళి

ధిక్కారం లేదా అపహాస్యం యొక్క ముఖ కవళిక; పై పెదవి ముడుచుకుంటుంది

🇮🇳Marathi

उपहास

तिरस्कार किंवा तिरस्कार चेहर्यावरील भाव; वरच्या ओठांचे कर्ल

🇮🇳Gujarati

ઉપહાસ

તિરસ્કાર અથવા તિરસ્કારના ચહેરાના હાવભાવ; ઉપલા હોઠના કર્લ્સ

🇮🇳Kannada

ಮುನಿಸು

ತಿರಸ್ಕಾರ ಅಥವಾ ತಿರಸ್ಕಾರದ ಮುಖಭಾವ; ಮೇಲಿನ ತುಟಿ ಸುರುಳಿಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ

🇮🇳Malayalam

പരിഹസിക്കുക

അവജ്ഞയുടെയോ പരിഹാസത്തിൻ്റെയോ മുഖഭാവം; മേൽചുണ്ട് ചുരുട്ടുന്നു

🇮🇳Punjabi

ਮਜ਼ਾਕ

ਨਫ਼ਰਤ ਜਾਂ ਨਫ਼ਰਤ ਦਾ ਚਿਹਰੇ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਵਾ; ਉੱਪਰਲੇ ਬੁੱਲ੍ਹ ਦੇ ਕਰਲ

🇵🇰Urdu

طنز

حقارت یا حقارت کا چہرے کا اظہار؛ اوپری ہونٹ گھماؤ

East & Southeast Asia

🇨🇳Chinese

冷笑

轻蔑或蔑视的面部表情；上唇卷曲

🇯🇵Japanese

冷笑する

軽蔑または軽蔑の表情。上唇がカールする

🇰🇷Korean

비웃음

경멸이나 경멸의 표정; 윗입술이 말려있다

🇻🇳Vietnamese

chế nhạo

vẻ mặt khinh thường hoặc khinh miệt; môi trên cong

🇹🇭Thai

เยาะเย้ย

การแสดงสีหน้าดูหมิ่นหรือดูถูกเหยียดหยาม ริมฝีปากบนหยิก

🇮🇩Indonesian

mengejek

ekspresi wajah yang menghina atau mencemooh; bibir atas melengkung

🇵🇭Filipino

ngumisi

isang ekspresyon ng mukha ng paghamak o pangungutya; kulot ang itaas na labi

🇲🇾Malay

mencemuh

ekspresi muka yang menghina atau mencemuh; bibir atas melengkung

Middle East

🇸🇦Arabic

سخرية

تعبير الوجه عن الازدراء أو الازدراء؛ تجعيد الشفة العليا

🇮🇷Persian

تمسخر

حالت چهره تحقیر یا تحقیر؛ فرهای لب بالایی

🇹🇷Turkish

alay etmek

küçümseme veya küçümseme içeren bir yüz ifadesi; üst dudak kıvrılır

🇮🇱Hebrew

לִלְעוֹג

הבעת פנים של בוז או בוז; השפה העליונה מסתלסלת

Test Yourself1 / 3

What is the primary definition of the word 'sneer'?

The primary meaning of 'sneer' is 'a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls'.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'sneer' in a grammatically correct way?

Using 'sneer' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.

In which domain is the word 'sneer' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?

'sneer' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.

Community Poll1 / 6

How often do you encounter the word 'sneer' in your daily reading?

Very Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Do you find 'sneer' easy to spell?

Yes, very easy

Somewhat easy

A bit confusing

Extremely hard

In your opinion, does the word 'sneer' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?

Positive

Neutral

Gloomy

Vibrant

Which age group is most likely to use 'sneer' in regular conversations?

Kids (3-12)

Teens (13-19)

Adults (20-60)

Seniors (60+)

How likely are you to use 'sneer' in a professional email?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Never

Would you classify 'sneer' as formal, casual, or slang?

Formal

Casual

Slang

Archaic

Pick an option to see how others voted