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Literary notes about sneering (AI summary)

The word sneering often appears in literature to instantly convey an air of disdain and scorn, whether through a character's tone, facial expression, or even inner attitude. It can suggest a quiet, derisive mockery, as when a character’s sneering grin hints at superiority and dismissal ([1]), or a more overt expression of contempt, evident in biting, cold tones that unsettle both characters and readers alike ([2], [3]). In some instances, the sneer is intertwined with cynicism and defiance—a verbal weapon used to challenge or undermine others, as seen in a caustic retort that exposes the speaker’s contempt for societal norms ([4]). Through such vivid portrayals, sneering emerges as a versatile literary tool that deepens character interactions and heightens dramatic tension.
  1. [Crofts receives this with a sneering grin.
    — from Mrs. Warren's Profession by Bernard Shaw
  2. But the cold, sneering tones of a masculine voice sent the blood back again into my youthful cheek.
    — from The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales by Bret Harte
  3. How long this horrible thing lasted I know not; but it seemed that a long time must have passed before he took his foul, awful, sneering mouth away.
    — from Dracula by Bram Stoker
  4. ‘Why, three Frederics were too much for the news you have picked up,’ said the Captain, sneering.
    — from Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray

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