smile
Americanverb (used without object)
-
smiles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
smiled,
past participle, past
-
smiling
present participle
-
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
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to regard with favor.
Luck smiled on us that night.
-
to have a pleasant or agreeable appearance or aspect, as natural scenes, objects, etc..
The landscape smiled in the sunlight.
verb (used with object)
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smiles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
smiled,
past participle, past
-
smiling
present participle
-
to assume or give (a smile, especially of a given kind).
She smiled a warm and friendly smile.
-
to express by a smile.
to smile approval.
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to bring, put, drive, etc., by or as by smiling.
to smile one's tears away.
noun
-
smiles
plural
-
the act or an instance of smiling; a smiling expression of the face.
- Antonyms:
- frown
-
favor or kindly regard.
fortune's smile.
-
a pleasant or agreeable appearance, look, or aspect.
verb phrase
noun
-
a facial expression characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth, usually showing amusement, friendliness, etc, but sometimes scorn, etc
-
favour or blessing
the smile of fortune
-
an agreeable appearance
verb
-
(intr) to wear or assume a smile
-
-
to look (at) with a kindly or amused expression
-
to look derisively (at) instead of being annoyed
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to bear (troubles, etc) patiently
-
-
(intr; foll by on or upon) to show approval; bestow a blessing
-
(tr) to express by means of a smile
she smiled a welcome
-
to drive away or change by smiling
smile away one's tears
-
to recover cheerfully from misfortune
Synonym Usage
See laugh.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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smilelessnessnoun
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smilernoun
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smilingnessnoun
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subsmilenoun
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outsmileverb (used with object)
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half-smilingadjective
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smilelessadjective
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smilingadjective
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unsmilingadjective
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half-smilinglyadverb
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smilelesslyadverb
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smilinglyadverb
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unsmilinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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smilesimple
-
smilessimple
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have smiledperfect
-
has smiledperfect
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am smilingprogressive
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are smilingprogressive
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is smilingprogressive
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have been smilingperfect progressive
-
has been smilingperfect progressive
Past
-
smiledsimple
-
had smiledperfect
-
was smilingprogressive
-
were smilingprogressive
-
had been smilingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of smile
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English smyllen (verb); cognate with Old High German smīlan, Danish smile
Explanation
Smile is the thing you do with your face when you are happy -– or want others to think you are. Your expression softens and your mouth turns up at the corners. Smile, noun or verb, with its universal message and association with enjoyment and pleasure, is a very useful word. It can express joy or even say hello. Of course if you “smile through your sorrows,” you are either tying to make yourself feel better or fool other people into thinking you are happy. But in general, a smile is a good sign. And as the song goes “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She gave a knowing smile, insisting I try on the skirt I was clutching.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
Lubinets -- a lawyer by training and an ex-MP -- also faced criticism, with one Ukrainian soldier accusing him on Facebook of being "all too eager to smile and ingratiate himself with the killers".
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
Dressed in a white blazer and red skirt, she recites De La Cruz’s biography as the real congressman looks on with a glowing smile.
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026
More than half a century later, the moment still raises a smile.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
Mom’s smile would disappear and she’d complain that he was wasting money on silly, impossible games, and he’d tell her she was being a control freak and that “our smiles were worth the money.”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
“Let’s remember him with smiles, happy stories and the love he gave us,” the post read.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Sofiyka stretches, smiles and runs to wash her face.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
He smiles broadly as he signs an executive order.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
She smiles through her tears as she says: "Now I've just dared to dream that I might be around to see them fall in love, to get married."
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
He sets the tie down and smiles at me.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
After years of quiet streets, "there was even a small traffic jam," she smiled.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
“If people are friendly and well-mannered, there is always something we can do,” she smiled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Zacharia read a bunch of lies off a written statement, smiled at us and got out of there.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Leo waved to well-wishers as he left the Vatican by car and smiled and waved to crowds waiting for him at the Gemelli, before walking into the hospital.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
She smiled at me, more kind than patronizing.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Her support for her husband was visible - holding his hand as they walked in, smiling at him while he was in the dock for hours at a time.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Footage shared by McHugh on social media after her win showed her laughing and smiling with family and friends screaming in delight as they celebrated her victory at a watch party in Cardiff.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
AFP saw the pair smiling and embracing after being reunited.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
“So we’re spending way less than what we did in Maui,” a smiling Canen said in one video, posted in February with the Odyssey’s bar in the background.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
I had to be just like Etty, smiling without a care in the world, walking through the gates as if I was entitled to enjoy the delights of the park beyond them.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
