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View synonyms for smile

smile

[ smahyl ]

verb (used without object)

, smiled, smil·ing.
  1. to assume a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement, but sometimes derision or scorn, characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth.

    Antonyms: frown

  2. to regard with favor:

    Luck smiled on us that night.

  3. to have a pleasant or agreeable appearance or aspect, as natural scenes, objects, etc.:

    The landscape smiled in the sunlight.



verb (used with object)

, smiled, smil·ing.
  1. to assume or give (a smile, especially of a given kind):

    She smiled a warm and friendly smile.

  2. to express by a smile:

    to smile approval.

  3. to bring, put, drive, etc., by or as by smiling:

    to smile one's tears away.

noun

  1. the act or an instance of smiling; a smiling expression of the face.

    Antonyms: frown

  2. favor or kindly regard:

    fortune's smile.

  3. a pleasant or agreeable appearance, look, or aspect.

verb phrase

    1. to regard with pleasure or amusement, as with a smile.
    2. to regard with mild derision:

      to smile at someone's affectations.

smile

/ smaɪl /

noun

  1. a facial expression characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth, usually showing amusement, friendliness, etc, but sometimes scorn, etc
  2. favour or blessing

    the smile of fortune

  3. an agreeable appearance
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. intr to wear or assume a smile
  2. intrfoll byat
    1. to look (at) with a kindly or amused expression
    2. to look derisively (at) instead of being annoyed
    3. to bear (troubles, etc) patiently
  3. intr; foll by on or upon to show approval; bestow a blessing
  4. tr to express by means of a smile

    she smiled a welcome

  5. troften foll byaway to drive away or change by smiling

    smile away one's tears

  6. come up smiling
    to recover cheerfully from misfortune
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈsmiler, noun
  • ˈsmilingly, adverb
  • ˈsmiling, adjective
  • ˈsmilingness, noun
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Other Words From

  • smileless adjective
  • smileless·ly adverb
  • smileless·ness noun
  • smiler noun
  • smiling·ly adverb
  • half-smiling adjective
  • half-smiling·ly adverb
  • outsmile verb (used with object) outsmiled outsmiling
  • sub·smile noun
  • un·smiling adjective
  • un·smiling·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of smile1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English smyllen (verb); cognate with Old High German smīlan, Danish smile
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Word History and Origins

Origin of smile1

C13: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish smila, Danish smile; related to Middle High German smielen
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Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with smile , also see crack a smile .
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Synonym Study

See laugh.
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Example Sentences

Someone who has a great smile, knows what he wants and is driven by his passions.

The price she’s paid for getting everything she ever wanted is written into her coquette’s smile, and it’s the saddest sight in the world.

From Time

Service people were told to plaster a smile onto their faces.

From Time

Ally noticed his smile right away and took it as a “good sign.”

Brace responded to her ire with a friendly smile and wished her a blessed day.

In that photo, Merabet has a big smile that spreads across his whole face and lights up his eyes.

For those living in poor communities in particular, interactions with police rarely come with good news and a smile.

He was grabbing my hips and he was pouring with perspiration and he had this cheesy smile.

At this point Marvin gives his Liberty Valance smile, the kind that makes you wish you could disintegrate in front of him.

Nobody terrified audiences with a smile as well as Lee Marvin.

Joe looked at her with a smile, his face still solemn and serious for all its youth and the fires of new-lit hope behind his eyes.

The moon seemed to smile on him; the aurora appeared to dance with unwonted vigour, as if in glee; the very stars winked at him!

One adorable smile she gave him, and before he could advance to hold the door for her, she had opened it and passed out.

A smile of beatitude spread over his enormous countenance during the process.

This unreasoning, feminine obstinacy so wrought upon him that he permitted himself a smile and a lapse into irony and banter.

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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