sneeze

American  

[sneez] / sniz /

verb (used without object)

sneezes, present (3rd person singular) sneezed, past participle, past sneezing present participle

1. to emit air or breath suddenly, forcibly, and audibly through the nose and mouth by involuntary, spasmodic action.

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noun

sneezes plural

1. an act or sound of sneezing.

verb phrase

1. sneeze at to treat with contempt; scorn.

   $50,000 is nothing to sneeze at.

sneeze British  

/ sniːz /

verb

1. (intr) to expel air and nasal secretions from the nose involuntarily, esp as the result of irritation of the nasal mucous membrane

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noun

1. the act or sound of sneezing

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sneezer
  noun
• sneezeless
  adjective
• sneezy
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sneezes
  plural

Participles

• sneezing
  present
• sneezed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sneeze
  simple
• sneezes
  simple
• have sneezed
  perfect
• has sneezed
  perfect
• am sneezing
  progressive
• are sneezing
  progressive
• is sneezing
  progressive
• have been sneezing
  perfect progressive
• has been sneezing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sneezed
  simple
• had sneezed
  perfect
• was sneezing
  progressive
• were sneezing
  progressive
• had been sneezing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sneeze
  simple
• will have sneezed
  perfect
• will be sneezing
  progressive
• will have been sneezing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sneeze

1485–95; earlier snese; replacing Middle English fnese, Old English fnēosan; cognate with Dutch fniezen, Old Norse fnȳsa

Explanation

When you sneeze, you blow air forcefully (and involuntarily) out of your nose and mouth, possibly while making a sound that might be spelled "achoo!" Allergies, pepper, and dust are all famous for making people sneeze. Behind every sneeze is some kind of irritant, a foreign substance that bothers the mucous membranes inside your nose. Pollen, cat dander, and the inflammation of your nose caused by a cold virus can all cause a sneeze (or several sneezes). When you sneeze, muscles in your face, neck, and chest contract reflexively. In rare cases, very bright lights or eating a large meal can make people sneeze. Go figure!

Example Sentences

That is nothing to sneeze at—though it is dwarfed by the $13 trillion that was indexed to the S&P 500.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

Interest surged in 2020 when the star unexpectedly dimmed after what was described as a stellar "sneeze."

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2026

A man desperately searching for a handkerchief while trying to stifle a sneeze, the world’s oldest magician making a comeback — these hilarious bits require no context.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

The disease is caused by the poliovirus, which spreads through contact with an infected person's faeces or droplets when they cough and sneeze.

From BBC • May 16, 2025

So much pepper is being ground at the moment that we sneeze and cough with every breath we take.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank