sneeze

1 of 2

verb

sneezed; sneezing

intransitive verb

: to make a sudden violent spasmodic audible expiration of breath through the nose and mouth especially as a reflex act
sneezer noun

sneeze

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of sneezing
Phrases
sneeze at
informal : to make light of
always used in negative statements to indicate something that is important or deserves attention
… a red ribbon for second place is not to be sneezed at or scorned.Richard Peck
Perquisites and severance pay are nothing to sneeze at [=are significant]

Examples of sneeze in a Sentence

Verb She was constantly sneezing and coughing.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
Symptoms include runny nose, cough, sore throat, fatigue, watery eyes, headaches and sneezing. Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 28 Oct. 2024 Because the bacteria that cause whooping cough spread easily via small respiratory droplets, and because babies are most vulnerable, Aronoff urges adults who are sneezing or coughing to be extra cautious around younger children. Don Rauf, EverydayHealth.com, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
And like those other illnesses, RSV can spread directly when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Korin Miller, SELF, 23 Oct. 2024 Viruses and bacteria can spread through droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sneeze 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English snesen, alteration of fnesen, from Old English fnēosan; akin to Middle High German pfnūsen to snort, sneeze, Greek pnein to breathe

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sneeze was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sneeze

Cite this Entry

“Sneeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sneeze. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sneeze

verb
ˈsnēz
sneezed; sneezing
: to force the breath out through the nose or mouth in a sudden violent noisy action
sneeze noun
sneezer noun

Medical Definition

sneeze

1 of 2 intransitive verb
sneezed; sneezing
: to make a sudden violent spasmodic audible expiration of breath through the nose and mouth especially as a reflex act following irritation of the nasal mucous membrane

sneeze

2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of sneezing

More from Merriam-Webster on sneeze

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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