What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sneer
Example
She sneered at the idea of going to the party. [sneered: verb]
Example
He gave a sneering laugh when he heard the news. [sneering: adjective]
jeer
Example
The crowd began to jeer at the losing team. [jeer: verb]
Example
She responded to his jeers with a confident smile. [jeers: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Jeer is more commonly used than sneer in everyday language. Jeer is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while sneer is less common and refers to a specific facial expression.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sneer and jeer?
Both sneer and jeer are informal words and are not typically used in formal contexts.
