sneer
/snɪɚ̯/verb, noun
sneer is spelled S-N-E-E-R: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,660th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, sneer means “To raise a corner of the upper lip slightly, especially in scorn” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in sneer?
| Letters | 5: S-N-E-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 41,660th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is sneer?
Sneer appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,660th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce sneer?
- UK /snɪə̯/
- US /snɪɚ̯/
Sneer has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-I_learned_some_phrases-sneer.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with sneer?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as sneer from its last stressed vowel (/ɪəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of sneer
- sneers present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- sneering participle, present
- sneered participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does sneer mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To raise a corner of the upper lip slightly, especially in scorn.
- 2
To utter with a grimace or contemptuous expression; to say sneeringly.
to sneer fulsome lies at a person
noun
- 1
A facial expression where one slightly raises one corner of the upper lip, generally indicating scorn.
- 2
A display of contempt; scorn.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Sneer in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | ricaner , sourire en coin |
| German | Hohnlächeln, höhnisches Grinsen |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does sneer come from?
From Middle English sneren (“to mock, scoff at”), from Old English fnǣran (“to snort”), from Proto-West Germanic *fnāʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *fnesaną (“to pant, gasp”). Akin to North Frisian sneere (“to scorn”), Middle High German snerren (“to chatter; gossip”), Danish snerre (“to growl, snarl”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).