Collocations for smile - noun
ADJECTIVE
big,
bright,
broad,
huge,
wide
She had a big smile on her face.
She had a big smile on her face.
faint,
slight,
thin,
wan,
weak
beaming, beatific, cheerful, dazzling, happy, radiant, sunny, warm
the warm smile in his eyes
beaming, beatific, cheerful, dazzling, happy, radiant, sunny, warm
the warm smile in his eyes
beautiful,
charming,
cute (esp. AmE),
engaging,
friendly,
gentle,
sweet,
winning
She has a beautiful smile.
She has a beautiful smile.
infectious
He had an infectious smile that touched the lives of many people.
He had an infectious smile that touched the lives of many people.
disarming,
enigmatic,
mischievous,
mocking,
rueful,
sardonic,
sly,
wry
She gave a wry smile.
She gave a wry smile.
sad
shy
apologetic, sheepish
encouraging, indulgent, reassuring
polite
beguiling
easy, ready
She had a keen wit and a ready smile.
shy
apologetic, sheepish
encouraging, indulgent, reassuring
polite
beguiling
easy, ready
She had a keen wit and a ready smile.
fake,
fixed,
forced
conspiratorial, knowing
grim
a grim smile of satisfaction
conspiratorial, knowing
grim
a grim smile of satisfaction
humourless/humorless,
mirthless
She suppressed a mirthless smile.
She suppressed a mirthless smile.
goofy
(informal, esp. AmE)
He had a goofy smile plastered across his face.
He had a goofy smile plastered across his face.
crooked,
lopsided
toothy
toothless
toothy
toothless
VERB + smile
have,
wear
She had a happy smile on her face.
She had a happy smile on her face.
crack,
flash (sb),
give sb,
smile
I don't think he ever cracked a smile.
He flashed her a disarming smile.
She smiled a smile of dry amusement.
I don't think he ever cracked a smile.
He flashed her a disarming smile.
She smiled a smile of dry amusement.
manage
She managed a weak smile.
She managed a weak smile.
return
She returned his smile.
She returned his smile.
hide,
suppress
They had to hide their smiles.
They had to hide their smiles.
force
Her father forced a smile.
Her father forced a smile.
raise
(esp. BrE)
Mention of this subject is guaranteed to raise a smile.
Mention of this subject is guaranteed to raise a smile.
smile + VERB
fade,
freeze,
vanish
Her sunny smile vanished as she read the letter.
Her sunny smile vanished as she read the letter.
falter
His smile faltered slightly.
His smile faltered slightly.
come across sth,
come over sth,
come to sth
A smile came to her lips.
A smile came to her lips.
creep across sth,
creep onto sth,
creep over sth
A wry smile crept over his face.
A wry smile crept over his face.
cross sth
flicker across sth, flicker on sth, flicker over sth
A faint smile flickered across her face.
flicker across sth, flicker on sth, flicker over sth
A faint smile flickered across her face.
light sth up
She got up immediately, a smile lighting up her face.
She got up immediately, a smile lighting up her face.
play about sth (esp. BrE),
play across sth,
play on sth
A small smile played on his lips.
A small smile played on his lips.
form
grow, spread, spread across sth, spread over sth, widen
Her smile grew radiant.
A gentle smile spread over her face.
grow, spread, spread across sth, spread over sth, widen
Her smile grew radiant.
A gentle smile spread over her face.
PREPOSITION
with a smile
‘Oh, hello!’ he said, with a smile.
‘Oh, hello!’ he said, with a smile.
smile of
a smile of approval
a smile of approval
PHRASES
have a smile on your face
She always has a smile on her face.
She always has a smile on her face.
bring a smile to sb's face,
put a smile on sb's face
It is a beautiful song that puts a smile on your face.
It is a beautiful song that puts a smile on your face.
keep the smile off your face
He could hardly keep the smile off his face.
He could hardly keep the smile off his face.
wipe the smile off sb's face
I'm going to wipe that smile off your face (= make you stop thinking this is funny).
I'm going to wipe that smile off your face (= make you stop thinking this is funny).
be all smiles
Twelve hours later she was all smiles again.
Twelve hours later she was all smiles again.
be wreathed in smiles
His face was wreathed in smiles.
His face was wreathed in smiles.
(have) a smile plastered across/on your face
The little boy had a smile plastered across his face.
The little boy had a smile plastered across his face.