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# sneer

verb (sneer, sneers, sneered, sneering); noun (a sneer, sneers)

«sneer» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To sneer is to smile or speak in an unkind way that shows you think someone or something is not good enough. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#m1)
2. A sneer is that unkind, mocking smile, often with one side of the lip lifted. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#m2)
3. To sneer at something is to make fun of it as if it were worthless. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories a sneer marks a proud, mean or bullying character; the reader learns the person feels better than others. In lessons about kindness, sneering is a kind of disrespect and a sign of bullying. Phrases: sneer at, with a sneer, a sneering voice.

### Examples

- The bully sneered at my old trainers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x1)
- «Is that the best you can do?» he said with a sneer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x2)
- The villain's face twisted into a sneer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x3)
- Don't sneer at other people's drawings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x4)
- She sneered when he dropped the ball. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x5)
- Some people sneered at the idea, but it worked. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x6)
- His sneer made Tom feel small. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x7)
- The rich man sneered at the poor farmer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x8)
- “Lots of little boys,” sneered Liza. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/#x9)

### Note

Use «sneer at» someone or something. Past form: sneered. A sneer is not the same as a grin or a smirk: a grin is friendly; a smirk is a self-pleased smile; a sneer is scornful. Countable noun: a sneer, sneers.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sneer» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sneer/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sneer» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sneer.html) on Mova free.