Smiling or laughing in a cruel, contemptuous way that shows disrespect or meanness toward someone.
From Middle Low German or Scandinavian origin, possibly related to Old Norse snara (to turn). The word originally described twisting the face in scorn and entered English around the 1700s.
Sneering is one of the few facial expressions that humans universally recognize as mean across all cultures—neuroscientists think it's because the sneer mimics how animals bare their teeth as a threat!
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