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.

---

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

---

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

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

As a result, Mr. Hegseth’s pocket square is nothing to sneeze at.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2025

Ron snorted loudly, but managed to pass it off as a violent sneeze.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling