snag

1 of 2

noun

1
: a concealed or unexpected difficulty or obstacle
2
a
: an irregularity that suggests the result of tearing
especially : a pulled thread in fabric
a snag in her stocking
b
: a jagged tear made by or as if by catching on a snag
3
: a rough sharp or jagged projecting part : protuberance: such as
a
: a projecting tooth
also : a stump of a tooth
b
: one of the secondary branches of an antler
4
a
: a standing dead tree
b
: a tree or branch embedded in a lake or stream bed and constituting a hazard to navigation
snaggy adjective

snag

2 of 2

verb

snagged; snagging

transitive verb

1
a
: to catch and usually damage on or as if on a snag
b
: to halt or impede as if by catching on a snag
2
: to catch or obtain usually by quick action or good fortune
3
: to hew, trim, or cut roughly or jaggedly
4
: to clear (something, such as a river) of snags

Examples of snag in a Sentence

Noun I caught my sleeve on a snag and tore it. My sweater has a snag where I caught it on a nail. Verb I snagged my favorite sweater on a nail. The shortstop snagged the grounder. The police snagged the suspect as he was trying to run away. I managed to snag the information I needed from the Internet. Can I snag a ride from you?
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While the proposal was certainly memorable, there was a snag. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 And, then there are snags to a greater uptake of solar in the U.S., the SEIA says. Nicholas Wyman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Materials costs have risen in recent years, driven up by the supply chain snags of 2021 and 2022, and labor costs have soared as well. Brian Cheung, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 The streamlined design of these high-rise jogger pants is rivaled only by the light stretch, material that is breathable, quick-drying, UPF 40+ rated for sun protection, and resistant to snags and tears. Paula Lee, Glamour, 3 Jan. 2024 The last-minute snag created a tense standoff on the second day of what was meant to be a four-day cease-fire. CBS News, 25 Nov. 2023 The specialized nut-safe blade pivots 30 degrees to glide over skin, minimizing the risk of cuts, nicks, or snags for a worry-free trim. Micaela Arnett, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2024 Dress rehearsals were staged late last week to verify the system would work as required and while minor snags were noted, company officials said there were no showstoppers. William Harwood, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2024 Brandon Aiyuk also had just three catches (six targets, 49 yards), but his 20-yard snag to open the fourth quarter should have been a reminder to seek him more (like on the final pass of the game). Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024
Verb
As of Tuesday, the South African Tesla king snagged the No. 3 slot on the index, with Salma Hayek’s hubby, LVMH chair Bernard Arnault, bringing home serious bacon in second place, give or take a few bills. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 The Department snagged a straight-to-series order in February 2023 at Showtime (shortly after Paramount Global announced the premium cabler would effectively be folded into Paramount+). Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 Joey Logano, three-time Vegas winner, snags another pole For the second time in three races, Joey Logano will lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to green. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2024 Along with taking the top spot in the U.S., the film snagged the biggest global opening of the year, earning $178.5 million worldwide. Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2024 Or snag this nonstick frying pan to put an end to the wrestling matches between you, a spatula, and a fried egg. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Swift snags three more top sellers in a row, with a trio of her efforts appearing just underneath the top 10. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Robert De Niro snagged a supporting actor nod and Gladstone made history as the first Native American up for best actress. USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024 The song recently snagged a song of the year Grammy. Lisa Respers France, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse snagi clothes peg

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 4b

Verb

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of snag was circa 1587

Dictionary Entries Near snag

Cite this Entry

“Snag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snag. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

snag

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a tree or branch when stuck underwater and not visible from the surface
b
: a standing dead tree
2
: an uneven or broken part sticking out from a smooth surface
caught my sweater on a snag
3
: a concealed or unexpected difficulty
our plans hit a snag

snag

2 of 2 verb
snagged; snagging
: to catch on or as if on a snag

More from Merriam-Webster on snag

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