sneeze

[sneez]

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.

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

/ 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

noun

1. the act or sound of sneezing

Other Word Forms

• sneezer noun
• sneezy adjective
• sneezeless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sneeze¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sneeze¹

Old English fnēosan (unattested); related to Old Norse fnӯsa, Middle High German fnūsen, Greek pneuma breath

Example Sentences

When the U.S. sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold.

Read more on Barron's

“When a major cloud provider sneezes, the internet catches a cold,” he told the Journal.

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Though initially, this created a buzz that Betelgeuse might go supernova any minute, scientists soon found out that the dimming was actually due to a large fluff of dust that the monster sneezed out.

Read more on Space Scoop

That virus can transmit through an infected person’s saliva and mucus and likely spreads “when an infected person coughs, sneezes or touches a surface that is then touched by others,” the CDC said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

With so many viruses around, you could be stuck in a lecture between two people who are sneezing, each infected with a different one.

Read more on BBC