I have a dialogue like this:
"All I wanted to do was to keep a low profile"
"Pffft. That worked well, we not only have the entire police force but also the entire mafia chasing us"
I don't want to have the "pffft" written out in dialogue, so I'm looking for a verb to replace it with. "Making a sigh of disapproval" seems to be a good description, but just doesn't have the same impact.
Is there a good verb for this?
Edit: To clarify, the intended emotion is a mixture of sarcasm, disapproval, annoyance and resignation. It doesn't have to exactly be equal to "pffft", but it needs to convey the same meaning, with the same strong impact.
Best Answer
I don't believe there is an actual verb that describes this particular action. However, I can suggest some alternative words that might convey the sentiment expressed by the noise.
I think to scoff is a good option here. It makes me think of someone making a sarcastic snort, which is pretty much what "Pfft" is in this context.
You might also consider to sneer, although this seems less like a sarcastic laugh and more like a nasty face to me.
And you could always use an adverb: "That worked well," he barked scornfully.