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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Marvel Studios announced Blade at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, but has hit a number of snags on the way to the screen, including the pandemic, labor strikes and losing two filmmakers. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Oct. 2024 The International Longshoremen’s Association, known as the ILA, argued that big global cargo carriers have raked in huge profits since pandemic-era supply-chain snags drove up freight rates, and that workers haven’t sufficiently shared in those gains. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
Although Years & Years has effectively morphed into a solo project for Olly Alexander, the British electropop outfit is still snagging hits. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2024 Born June 21, 1938, Ely snagged the part of Tarzan after playing supporting roles in films such as South Pacific (1958), The Fiend Who Walked the West (1958), and The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959). Marc Berman, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for snag 

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 8 Nov. 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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