smirk
verb (used without object)
to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way.
was smirking
-
past progressiveof smirk.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Every corner I turned, there I was, smirking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2025
And the day after that, a psychologist wrote: “He was smirking and said, ‘Why would you ever think I would be suicidal?
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2021
Emanuel told investigators Wester was smirking and telling him he was going to jail and there was nothing he could do about it.
From Fox News ● Jul. 11, 2019
“He came into court, he didn’t say anything at all. He stood there looking directly at the media in the courtroom and was smirking throughout his appearance,” Al Jazeera’s Andrew Thomas reported.
From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2019
She turned her head, and I couldn’t tell if she was smirking or not.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
