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

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

The Trust said on its website regular hand washing, not sharing cups or cutlery and encouraging children to sneeze into a tissue are all ways to help prevent the virus from spreading.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

Ordinarily, person-to-person transmission of a flu virus “is mainly through the air from droplets from a sneeze or cough, which contains very little virus,” Paulson said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2024

Worse, some feathers from her carpetbag had come loose and were floating around the barrel in time to her breath, threatening to make her sneeze.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood