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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Recent Examples of smirk
Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 17 July 2025
Liam McNeeley’s eyes widened, preceding a devilish smirk.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2025
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, backup quarterback Cole Ballard couldn’t help but smirk when asked about Henderson.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Verb
On Saturday, July 12, visitors to the park were greeted by a 12-foot tall sculpture of the tech kingpin’s head, his expression chiseled into a self-satisfied smirk.
—Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 17 July 2025
Liam McNeeley’s eyes widened, preceding a devilish smirk.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2025
Noun
Colson replied with a photo of herself smirking while wearing a green jacket.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, backup quarterback Cole Ballard couldn’t help but smirk when asked about Henderson.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirk
Verb
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Miller could be seen bending over and grimacing after the fateful pitch, in an obvious degree of pain.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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Shelton first grimaced in pain after hitting a forehand at the end of the third set.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
15 Aug. 2025
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The single, meanwhile, is ushered in with a gripping bass line and an undercurrent of keyboards until Osbourne makes his grand vocal entrance, all sneers and snarls.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Verb
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The camera then pans to show the house opposite—where another golden is sitting in the exact same spot in its own yard, staring right back at Copper, but neither crossing the threshold on to the street.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The two men then lie down next to each other and stare at the ceiling.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Early never makes fun of Maddie, never lets the audience snicker at the screen.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
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The carnage leads to a sigh of an epilogue that seems, without giving anything away, like a curious letdown, a cruel little snicker from Aster that doesn’t entirely satisfy.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Cena has been delivering his signature sharp mic work, routinely dominating verbal exchanges while Paul has been forced to scowl while the master gets in all of his barbs and sons him at every opportunity.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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His Teddy is a skeevy, scowling hippie incel who seems to have burnt everything out of himself but the desire for vengeance.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
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
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At certain workplaces, it’s frowned upon to sit, to appear idle or to gather around in groups.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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In Israel it is frowned upon to criticize the nation, especially in front of outsiders.—
Uriel Kon
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirk. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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