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View synonyms for

smile

[ smahyl ]

verb (used without object)

smiled, smiling.
  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:

  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, smiling.
  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:

  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

/ ɪ /

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

  • ˈ, noun
  • ˈԲ, adverb
  • ˈԲ, adjective
  • ˈԲness, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • l adjective
  • l·ly adverb
  • l·ness noun
  • İ noun
  • iԲ· adverb
  • 󲹱-iԲ adjective
  • half-iԲ· adverb
  • dzܳȴ verb (used with object) outsmiled outsmiling
  • ܲ· noun
  • ܲ·iԲ adjective
  • un·iԲ· 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 ī, 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

Examples have not been reviewed.

At the end of seven rounds with nine draft picks on the way and a slew of undrafted free agents en route, Hortiz met reporters with a content smile.

From

There were smiles, though, just about visible behind the pyrotechnic fog rising off the sea of bodies that had invaded the pitch for the third successive year.

From

"He looked really angry when he walked off the pitch and then he saw me and straight away he smiled," he adds.

From

"I've been back on tour the past couple of months and it gives me more of a purpose than ever," he smiles.

From

From his broad smile you could tell that Donald Trump's special envoy was indeed delighted to see Vladimir Putin.

From

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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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