Word identification - unfriendly smile while talking
What is it called when someone is talking and cracking a smile at the same time, but in a way that only one side of the mouth is moved upward, like those villians in japanese mangas?
"Sneer" fits that description:
sneer (snîr) n. (to sneer is also a verb for making that facial expression):
- A scornful facial expression characterized by a slight raising of one corner of the upper lip.
There are a number of other synonyms for sneer that can convey the sense one gets from the sneer:
smirk, scorn, mock, ridicule, laugh, jeer, disdain, scoff, deride, look down on, snigger, sniff at, gibe, hold in contempt
Edit: Image of Billy Idol who was famous for his sneer:
https:www.blindfiveyearold.com
A smirk is an “uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied or scornful,” which fits the description perfectly. A sneer is a similar expression of contempt, but it specifically refers to a curling of the upper lip, not necessarily a smile.