sneeze

American  

[sneez] / sniz /

verb (used without object)

sneezed, sneezing

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

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noun

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

• sneezeless adjective
• sneezer noun
• sneezy adjective

Etymology

Origin of sneeze

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

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

Welch continued: “If it’s 100 mile an hour winds and it’s dry, someone’s going to sneeze and there’s going to be a fire.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025

"If Manchester United sneeze, football catches a cold," football finance expert Kieran Maguire told BBC Sport.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2025

I laugh, only it comes out like a sneeze through my nose.

From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake