as in to whimper
to complain or cry in an annoying way
The child sniveled until he got his way.
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Recent Examples of snivel
All this in an environment where politicians like Jeff Bridges (running for state treasurer who lives in the Cherry Creek school district) whine and snivel about his associates in the teachers’ union not having the funds to effectively teach our kids.
—
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever).
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Downey redirects all his Tony Stark smarm into this portrait of a sniveling, jealous political worm, a marvelous capstone to his Hollywood comeback story.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 15 Mar. 2026
Faced with the sniveling sum of these failures, Garfield is startled but compassionate.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Throughout many revealing conversations, the braggadocious zeal of Poseidon and Zeus, the sexy aloofness of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and the sniveling bitchery of Hermes and Hypnos were endearing, but all gave way to flawed people who grew deeply over time.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
In the show, Cooke plays the regal Alicent Hightower and Glynn-Carney is her sniveling son, King Aegon Targaryen.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
—Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In league with its sniveling human colleague Gabriel (Esai Morales, cackling with evil intent as if being paid by the cackle), The Entity is hacking into the world’s nuclear defense systems and taking control of the missiles, one paralyzed and panicking nation at a time.
—Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever).
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Downey redirects all his Tony Stark smarm into this portrait of a sniveling, jealous political worm, a marvelous capstone to his Hollywood comeback story.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 15 Mar. 2026
Faced with the sniveling sum of these failures, Garfield is startled but compassionate.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Throughout many revealing conversations, the braggadocious zeal of Poseidon and Zeus, the sexy aloofness of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and the sniveling bitchery of Hermes and Hypnos were endearing, but all gave way to flawed people who grew deeply over time.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
In the show, Cooke plays the regal Alicent Hightower and Glynn-Carney is her sniveling son, King Aegon Targaryen.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
—Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In league with its sniveling human colleague Gabriel (Esai Morales, cackling with evil intent as if being paid by the cackle), The Entity is hacking into the world’s nuclear defense systems and taking control of the missiles, one paralyzed and panicking nation at a time.
—Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snivel
Verb
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As the timer passed seven minutes, Steve Eckert exhorted a whimpering young man to dunk his head underwater.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The three added their flowers to the memorial and embraced each other as Annie Guthrie appeared to softly whimper.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Leah asked while sobbing in an interview.—
Anna Peele,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
-
Snedeker sobbed like a baby during a brief meeting with the media following his heartbreak at Augusta in '08.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Though the arrest took place over three years ago, the case garnered new attention in March when TMZ published a video of the altercation, which showed Paul putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing chairs at him while a child could be heard crying.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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On the side, my two best friends were crying with laughter.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Aronimink put the world’s best golfers in a vice this week and squeezed the whines right out of them.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
Traffic hummed and whined on I-85.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
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The score by Joseph Bishara is shivery with chorales that moan like wraiths in the wind.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Near the end of the debate, co-moderator and San Francisco Examiner editor-in-chief Schuyler Hudak Prionas groaned as candidates talked over each other while trying to answer a question that was supposed to elicit a yes or no response.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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When the shots went bad, fans groaned and tried to coax him on.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snivel. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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