SMILING Synonyms: 226 Similar and Opposite Words

smiling 1 of 3

adjective

as in laughing

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smiling

2 of 3

noun

as in cheering

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Dissimilar Words

smiling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of smile

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sneering

to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions smiled at their ridiculous antics and walked away in disgust

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of smiling

Adjective

Women in black hijabs and abayas, many wearing badges depicting Zahra’s smiling face, lined the streets as men prayed over her casket, placed outside the Husseiniya, a Shiite hall. — Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026 As Thomas’ parents, Katina Smith and Bobby Thomas, unveiled their son’s smiling statue in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Plaza last Sunday, as scores of his former teammates looked on in sadness and joy, Miller was 800 miles away in Dallas, gearing up for a game against the Cowboys. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025

Noun

The boos were more scattered and barely audible amidst the applause and cheers, which grew louder when the ballpark’s video boards showed the 2018 champ smiling, clapping, and waving from the visitors’ dugout. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 Karen Jesch, a PhD student at Boston College’s Canine Cognition Center, points out that human smiling is a strange behavior to begin with, and not always a happy one. — Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 14 May 2026 There was a lot of nervous smiling. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025 Umanmielen responded with a GIF of a smiling, but famously blind, Stevie Wonder. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025

Verb

The second image shows De Laurentiis, her boyfriend Shane Farley and her ex-husband Todd Thompson, along with another woman, posing for a photo as Jade sits on her bed, smiling. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 So pretending imbalance isn't happening — like when one partner is regularly absorbing all the work and smiling through it — just delays the same resentment that often festers in exchange relationships. — Mark Travers, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026 In Los Angeles, for example, there’s a billboard that shows an image of a smiling girl wearing Meta glasses, with her fingers placed to draw attention to the recording light that shines as brightly as her grin. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 Hoffenberg is seen in the video smiling as the two continue their conversation and walk out of frame. — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 The woman at the center of a viral video who was seen winking and smiling at a camera during the Lindsay Clancy trial this week has been dropped by the magazine she was credentialed to cover the trial for. — Kelsie Cairns , Bryan Llenas, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 But Dolly stayed on stage, signing autographs, chatting with fans, forever smiling as popping flashcubes signaled someone had snapped another souvenir. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Hollywood has been smiling all summer long, and not just because of the box office revival. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Carlile is having a total blast smiling and bopping through it, and bandmates Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby’s harmonies are divine. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smiling

Adjective

The woman got up on their table and gleefully pretended to tap dance, drawing an amused crowd of onlookers.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Hardin is more amused than annoyed, particularly given the origin of the FTD Burger.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Definition of amused

Verb

As Kimbrel was, well, collecting himself, some of the Royals’ players were spotted grinning.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Framed photos of the late NHL star, grinning alongside their now-3-year-old daughter, Noa, and son Johnny, 2, circle their living room couch and sit on their kitchen island.

— Julie Mazziotta, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of grinning

Adjective

At its peak, Westwood was one of the rare places where Angelenos who otherwise lived separately encountered each other in a jovial setting.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
Despite losing his position as head coach and having to serve a suspension, Hoyos appeared in a jovial mood Friday morning.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of jovial

Adjective

Rounding up his merry men of Sherwood Forest, and his Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland), Robin goes about resisting John’s rule and securing Richard’s throne.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Fortune’s intrepid tech editor, Alexei Oreskovic, and his merry band of reporters will carry on in my absence.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of merry

Adjective

The bikes were a smart and gleeful way to make the most of our limited time in South Lake Tahoe.

— Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Mitchell’s own imitation of Spielbergian life, despite its meticulous re-creation (and gleeful destruction) of eighties suburbia, stumbles into an uncanny valley between sincerity and cynicism, between unintentional comedy and deliberate homage.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of gleeful

Adjective

Both his suggestion and the jolly appreciation seem out of tune with the situation ‘far from home’, which may be a military manoeuvre involving mock battles and bayonet practice, or a preparation for actual combat.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
This plush captures its jolly mood with a big smile and a grinning sun across its belly (complete with sunglasses).

— Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of jolly

Adjective

Beyond Ningyocho station, cheap and cheerful izakaya sit next to longstanding kaiseki and sushi restaurants in heritage buildings, remnants of the era when this was Yoshicho, one of Tokyo's geisha quarters.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
The fragrance is a delicious mix of sweet, fruity, and floral, thanks to notes of citrus, agave, and jasmine, offering a bright and cheerful scent to your space.

— Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of cheerful

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smiles

smiling

smilingly

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Style

“Smiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smiling. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of smiling

adjective

noun

verb

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