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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of smirk
Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024
Both men are seen slightly smirking in the photo while standing in what appears to be a luxurious room.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 18 Nov. 2024
Brian Grubb, Vulture, 23 Aug. 2024
Hadid, in response, cocks her head thoughtfully, stares at Travis, and gives a little smirk.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smirk 
Verb
Advertisement There are paintings, dolls and ceramic figures, each with its own expression — smiling, laughing, smirking, weeping or silently shrieking.
—Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024
Both men are seen slightly smirking in the photo while standing in what appears to be a luxurious room.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
Peter Sarsgaard was turning his character into a despicable little weasel through a masterclass of smirks.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 23 Aug. 2024
Hadid, in response, cocks her head thoughtfully, stares at Travis, and gives a little smirk.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirk
Noun
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Ruby’s face hardened, her lips twisting into a sneer.Lizz Schumer, People.com, 2 Jan. 2025
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Donning false teeth and a homicidal sneer, Dafoe embodied pure evil in Lynch’s crazed road movie, starring opposite Laura Dern and Nicolas Cage.Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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So is seemingly everyone else — except Edward, left to stare into the middle distance and wonder what the hell is going on.Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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Meanwhile, Smile 2 reignites the disturbing thrills of the first movie, in which a demonic presence transfers itself to a new host by forcing the previous one into suicide while staring its target in the face with a devious grin.Eric Kohn, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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There are private snickers about the offense’s lack of imagination, the team’s absence of leadership and the dearth of talent.Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But rather than sporting a big smile and radiating festive cheer, Ferrell looked hilariously weary and unshaven, with an unlit cigarette dangling between his scowling lips.Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2024
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But no one's prepared to sit there and yell across the table at some other person while Tom Selleck is sitting at the head of the table scowling at you.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The tribal leader sniggers; a trade with foreign infidels is inconceivable.Bing West, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2011
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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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While Blanche was speaking, Trump was mostly frowning, and looking off camera.Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025
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In addition, there were also prohibitions: listening to rock and roll music was frowned upon, and for having long hair you could be imprisoned.Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near smirk
Cite this Entry
“Smirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirk. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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