smile

[ smahyl ]

/ smaɪl /

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See synonyms for: smile / smiled / smiles / smiling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), smiled, smil·ing.

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.

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), smiled, smil·ing.

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.

to bring, put, drive, etc., by or as by smiling: to smile one's tears away.

noun

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

favor or kindly regard: fortune's smile.

a pleasant or agreeable appearance, look, or aspect.

Verb Phrases

smile at,

to regard with pleasure or amusement, as with a smile.
to regard with mild derision: to smile at someone's affectations.

OPPOSITES FOR smile

1, 7 frown.

See antonyms for smile on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of smile

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

synonym study for smile

1, 7. See laugh.

OTHER WORDS FROM smile

smileless, adjectivesmile·less·ly, adverbsmile·less·ness, nounsmiler, noun

smil·ing·ly, adverbhalf-smiling, adjectivehalf-smil·ing·ly, adverboutsmile, verb (used with object), out·smiled, out·smil·ing.sub·smile, nounun·smil·ing, adjectiveun·smil·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use smile in a sentence

The expecting mom flashes a smile as she places her hand directly over her belly.
Summer Walker Confirms Her Pregnancy|Jasmine Grant|November 20, 2020|Essence.com
With a smile, she asks Samson if he can show us small-scale miners in action.
Crime, Corona, Copper and Trouble in Zambia|Eugene Robinson|October 30, 2020|Ozy
If you wanted to give someone the appearance of a small smile, you could already do that with a simple slider.
Photoshop’s Neural Filters can alter people’s expressions in convincing—and nightmarish—ways|Stan Horaczek|October 22, 2020|Popular-Science
It’s like the dolphin smile where their face is just fixed in that position.
Forget Everything You Know About Your Dog (Ep. 436)|Stephen J. Dubner|October 22, 2020|Freakonomics

Typically surgeons measure whether or not their rebuilding of smiles is successful by tickling their patients and then they start laughing and they would use a ruler and measure millimeter movements.
AI Reads Human Emotions. Should it?|Tate Ryan-Mosley|October 14, 2020|MIT Technology Review
And so he looked at her, smiled, and offered a polite “Is everything okay?”
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
His swimming led him back to meet the woman he had gently smiled at in the first episode.
What On Earth Is ‘The Affair’ About? Season One’s Baffling Finale|Tim Teeman|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She smiled, too, her incisors creeping out from behind her lips.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At which Bezos turned to the packed audience, smiled weakly, and said: “This is Henry being nice to me!”
Jeff Bezos: ‘I See Millions Working in Outer Space’|Lloyd Grove|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He clumsily sipped from the dainty straw of a blasphemously non-bourbon beverage and smiled broadly as he talked to fellow bros.
Mitch’s Brotastic Victory Bash|Olivia Nuzzi|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wharton smiled at this littleness in so great a man, but determined that he should feel the power he despised.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The young man smiled at the girl, as he crushed up the notes and stuffed them into his pocket.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
The girl smiled, and drew out a large key, and nodded, still smiling as she replaced it.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
He had the sun-scorched look of a traveller who has just crossed the Atlantic, and he smiled at Bernard with his honest eyes.
Confidence|Henry James
Miss Anne smiled kindly, not dreaming of his perplexity, amused by his Southern warmth.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for smile

smile

/ (smaɪl) /

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 blessingthe smile of fortune

an agreeable appearance

verb

(intr) to wear or assume a smile

(intr foll by at)

to look (at) with a kindly or amused expression
to look derisively (at) instead of being annoyed
to bear (troubles, etc) patiently

(intr; foll by on or upon) to show approval; bestow a blessing

(tr) to express by means of a smileshe smiled a welcome

(tr often foll by away) to drive away or change by smilingsmile away one's tears

come up smiling to recover cheerfully from misfortune

Derived forms of smile

smiler, nounsmiling, adjectivesmilingly, adverbsmilingness, noun

Word Origin for smile

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

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with smile

smile

In addition to the idiom beginning with smile

smile on

also see:

crack a smile

smile

OPPOSITES FOR smile

Origin of smile

synonym study for smile

OTHER WORDS FROM smile

Words related to smile

How to use smile in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for smile

Derived forms of smile

Word Origin for smile

Other Idioms and Phrases with smile