Meaning & use
sneered
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“sneered” is a form of “sneer”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbtransitive or intransitive
spoke or smiled in a way that showed you thought someone or something was stupid or worthless
Grammar: Can take speech as an object ('sneered an insult') or stand alone, often followed by 'at': 'He sneered at her idea.'
Patterns
- sneer at someone/something
- sneer something
- sneer that ...
She sneered at his cheap shoes and walked away.
He sneered that the plan would never work.
"You call that art?" he sneered.
Word forms
| base form | sneer |
|---|---|
| third person singular | sneers |
| past tense | sneered |
| past participle | sneered |
| -ing form | sneering |
Common combinations
- sneer at
- The older students sneered at anyone who tried too hard.
- sneer in disgust
- She sneered in disgust at the messy room.
- sneer contemptuously
- He sneered contemptuously when I mentioned my salary.
- sneer with contempt
- The critic sneered with contempt at the whole performance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mock
- To make fun of someone, often by copying them; it can be light or cruel, while 'sneer' always shows contempt.
- jeer
- To shout rude, mocking comments, usually in a group; 'sneer' can be quiet and personal.
- scorn
- A stronger, more formal word for treating someone as worthless; 'sneer' is more about the tone of voice or face.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: sneered or snore? sneered or sneeze?
sneered vs snore
To breathe noisily while sleeping; 'snore' sounds similar but has nothing to do with mocking.
sneered vs sneeze
To blow air out of your nose suddenly; a common sound-alike, but a completely different action.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'sneered' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Sneered at' is the usual pattern for mocking something. The other options use 'sneered' with objects or directions that do not fit its meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sneered”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.