1
as in grinning
to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward
the soldier smiled in pleasure when he saw the giant sign welcoming him home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sneering
to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
smiled at their ridiculous antics and walked away in disgust
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in laughing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smiling
Verb
-
In the photos, Williams can be seen smiling and laughing while wearing a black dress.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
12 Apr. 2025 -
The group later re-entered the frame laughing and high-fiving each other, court documents show.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Lanthimos and cinematographer Robbie Ryan stage and shoot said home invasion like a Jacques Tati sequence — that is to say, from an amused, ironic distance that watches humans squirm and scramble without intervention.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
-
But as the incidents racked up, players started to be less amused.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite more complicated challenges, the cast are as jokey and jovial as ever.—
Sabrina Weiss,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
That's how the film lures in its audience: The jovial concept gives way to the more serious topic of man's colonization of nature.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead, they are pressured into becoming guests of the castle's owner, a transvestite mad scientist called Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), and his merry bad of misfits.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Robin Hood and his merry men were yeomen of the most courageous sort.—
Charles Hammer,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
What follows is a gleeful parade, perfect for viewers who always wanted to meet the high school star crush whose posters adorned their bedroom walls.—
Michelle Kung,
EW.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Colbert chanted, rubbing his hands together and approaching the camera with a gleeful grin.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Crosby released a number of tunes throughout his career that were made perfectly for the jolliest time of the year, and his wins are still coming his way, even decades after his passing.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Instead of its usual jolly cartoons, the channel began broadcasting footage of Russian military parades accompanied by music of the Russian nationalist singer Oleg Gazmanov.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But overall, my personal experience was of waking up feeling incredibly cheerful.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
-
When everything goes right, the airlines’ practiced, cheerful funneling and cajoling, plus the snacks and in-seat entertainment, make the experience feel anodyne and efficient.—
Jeff Wise,
The Atlantic,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Inside Damascus Bread & Pastry Shop, the mood is cheery.—
Harrison Hill,
AFAR Media,
19 Aug. 2025
-
From the album cover to her countdowns and teasers—which may include some of the costumes from the final leg of the Eras tour—everything has been resplendent in a cheery shade of tangerine orange.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
14 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Smiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smiling. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share