snap

\ ˈsnap

How to pronounce snap (audio)

\

snapped; snapping

Definition of snap

(Entry 1 of 4)

intransitive verb

1a : to make a sudden closing of the jaws : seize something sharply with the mouth fish snapping at the bait

b : to grasp at something eagerly : make a pounce or snatch snap at any chance

2 : to utter sharp biting words : bark out irritable or peevish retorts

3a : to break suddenly with a sharp sound the twig snapped

b : to give way suddenly under emotional stress or strain He snapped under the pressure of the job.

4a : to make a sharp or crackling sound

b : to use your thumb and fingers to make a short sharp sound People snapped to the beat.

5 : to close or fit in place with an abrupt movement or sharp sound the lock snapped shut

6a : to move briskly or sharply snaps to attention

b : to undergo a sudden and rapid change (as from one condition to another) snap out of it snapped awake

7 : sparkle, flash eyes snapping with fury

transitive verb

1 : to seize with or as if with a snap of the jaws

2 : to take possession or advantage of suddenly or eagerly —usually used with upshoppers snapping up bargains

3a : to retort to or interrupt curtly and irritably

b : to utter curtly or abruptly

4 : to break suddenly : break short or in two

5a : to cause to make a snapping sound snap a whip

b : to make a snapping sound by moving (thumb and finger) against one another

c : to put into or remove from a particular position by a sudden movement or with a sharp sound snap the lock shut

6a : to project with a snap snapped a spitball across the classroom

b : to put (a football) in play with a snap

c(1) : to take photographically snapping exclusive news pictures — Current Biography

(2) : to take a snapshot of snapped the scenery

snap

Definition of snap (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : an abrupt closing (as of the mouth in biting or of scissors in cutting)

2a archaic : a share of profits or booty

b : something that brings quick and easy profit or advantage

c : something that is easy and presents no problems : cinch

3 : a small amount : bit

4a : an act or instance of seizing abruptly : a sudden snatching at something

b : a quick short movement lithe snaps of its body— Barbara Taylor

c : a sudden sharp breaking

5a : a sound made by snapping something shut the book with a snap

b : a brief sharp and usually irritable speech or retort

6 : a sudden spell of weather a cold snap

7 : a catch or fastening that closes or locks with a click the snap of a bracelet

8 : a flat brittle cookie — compare gingersnap

10a : the condition of being vigorous in body, mind, or spirit : alertness, energy

b : a pleasing vigorous quality

11 football : the act of a center's putting the ball in play from its position on the ground by quickly passing it between the legs back to a teammate (such as a quarterback) : the act of snapping the ball The quarterback fumbled the snap. [=fumbled the ball when it was snapped to him]

snap

Definition of snap (Entry 3 of 4)

: with a snap

snap

Definition of snap (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : done, made, or carried through suddenly or without deliberation a snap judgment

2 : called or taken without prior warning a snap election

3 : fastening with a snap a snap lock

4 : unusually easy or simple a snap course

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about snap

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Examples of snap in a Sentence

Verb The branch snapped and fell to the ground. The earpiece of his glasses snapped off. She snapped the twig in two. The boy snapped the wing off his toy airplane. The bent tree snapped back into an upright position. I snapped the lid shut. She snapped the pieces together. She snapped her handbag shut. Noun I've trained the dog to come to me with a snap of my fingers. The snap of the bracelet broke. Adjective a snap course that even an idiot could pass

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The Spurs entered the game determined to snap a two-game losing streak and keep alive their hopes of reaching the playoffs for an NBA-record 23rd consecutive year. — Tom Orsborn, ExpressNews.com, "Lonnie Walker IV delivers in fourth quarter to help Spurs vanquish shorthanded Jazz," 7 Aug. 2020 Trump's tech trade war looks set to snap that string. — Bernhard Warner, Fortune, "Global investors dump shares as Trump’s executive orders spook the markets," 7 Aug. 2020 Luckily, there are recipes like this cool, fresh shrimp cocktail to snap me out of it, satisfying my hunger while also cooling me down. — Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, "Half ceviche, half shrimp cocktail, this cool, bright dish is thoroughly refreshing," 6 Aug. 2020 Former Michigan basketball star Jalen Rose predicted his alma mater will snap its eight-game losing streak against the Buckeyes. — Nathan Baird, cleveland, "Jalen Rose on The Game: ‘Save this footage. Michigan will beat Ohio State in football this year’," 5 Aug. 2020 Adrian Houser dominated over seven innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the White Sox 1-0 Wednesday night to snap Chicago's six-game win streak. — Andrew Seligman, Star Tribune, "Houser strong, Brewers stop White Sox 6-game win streak, 1-0," 5 Aug. 2020 The Giants received big performances from pitcher Logan Webb and first baseman Brandon Belt to beat the Rockies 4-3 at Coors Field and snap a three-game losing skid that was riddled with mistakes. — John Shea, SFChronicle.com, "Giants beat Rockies behind big games by Logan Webb, Brandon Belt," 5 Aug. 2020 But the sight of Bulshar’s ring and a reminder of her commitment to Nicole makes Waverly snap out of it. — Dalene Rovenstine, EW.com, "Wynonna Earp recap: Wynonna’s search for the gateway continues," 3 Aug. 2020 Read on to see the new hair-care products to snap up in August. — Kat Suico, Allure, "The Coolest Hair-Care Products Coming in August," 1 Aug. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun D’Eriq King has not yet taken his first in-game snap as Miami Hurricanes quarterback, but conversations of converting him to a different position for the NFL are already taking place. — David Furones, sun-sentinel.com, "Hurricanes’ D’Eriq King overcoming stigmas on height, race as quarterback," 9 Aug. 2020 And the coronavirus pandemic means the quarterback still hadn’t logged a full-team practice snap with his new receivers and linemen as of Friday, 37 days before the season opener against Green Bay. — Ben Goessling, Star Tribune, "For Kirk Cousins, stability comes with responsibility," 7 Aug. 2020 In the first shot, Palvin, 26, added a green heart emoji over a snap of Dylan on a hiking trail. — Robyn Merrett, PEOPLE.com, "Dylan and Cole Sprouse Wish Each Other Happy Birthday with Hilarious Instagram Tributes," 5 Aug. 2020 An Australian politician also posted a snap of one of the famed birds as well. — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, "Emus Banned From Australian Hotel Pub for ‘Bad Behavior’," 29 July 2020 In the cute snap, mother and daughter can be seen lazing on the beach while wearing swimwear. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Gwyneth Paltrow and Daughter Apple Twin in a Summer Beach Selfie," 19 July 2020 His best opportunity to make a game-changing play came on the second snap of the game when Slovis floated a pass for Malepeai in the flat that Ojemudia could have intercepted with better anticipation and returned for a touchdown. — Phillip Heilman, The Denver Post, "Broncos’ rookie Michael Ojemudia shows strong upside at cornerback," 7 June 2020 Google Hangouts: Connect up to 10 people with a video chat in a snap. — Ashley Leath, Country Living, "How to Plan a No-Fail Virtual Game Night for Every Age," 1 Apr. 2020 To top it off, the resort falls on Disney World’s monorail, making reaching Magic Kingdom and Epcot a snap. — Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, "25 Resorts in the U.S. That Are Perfect for Families," 8 July 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb Roy Robertson-Harris steamrolled center Corey Linsley on his first-quarter sack (4.9 seconds snap-to-throw). — Rich Campbell, chicagotribune.com, "5 observations from rewatching the Bears’ Week 1 loss to the Packers, including Mitch Trubisky’s moment of truth and the defense’s sack machine," 7 Sep. 2019 Investors look at Snap’s new user numbers as an important metric to gauge the company’s future growth. — Jonathan Vanian, Fortune, "Snap CEO Evan Spiegel Makes A Case For Slow User Growth," 10 Aug. 2017 During the recession and in the years that followed, SNAP expanded to accommodate the increased number of people who needed food assistance. — Greg Trotter, chicagotribune.com, "Fewer people going hungry in Cook County, but many still need help," 4 May 2017 Snap’s new technology, a 3-D lens, can also change and shift in response to physical objects. — Katie Benner, New York Times, "To Stay Ahead of Facebook, Snap Rolls Out 3-D Features for Messaging," 18 Apr. 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was elected President in November, dissolved Parliament in March and called for early snap elections. — Iqbal Athas And Helen Regan, CNN, "Sri Lanka's powerful Rajapaksa brothers claim landslide in parliamentary elections," 7 Aug. 2020 This set merges the convenience and portability of a snap lid with the functionality of a bento, thanks to a set of inserts. — Popular Science, "Dishwasher-safe food storage containers that make meal prep a breeze," 6 Aug. 2020 Thompson scored 3:58 later with a snap shot from the left circle on a play that began with teammate Ivan Provorov pouncing on a Bruins’ turnover in the neutral zone. — John Wawrow, courant.com, "Without Rask, Bruins stumble in Game 1 against Flyers," 2 Aug. 2020 Thompson scored 3:58 later with a snap shot from the left circle on a play that began with teammate Ivan Provorov pouncing on a Bruins' turnover in the neutral zone. — John Wawrow, Star Tribune, "Hart has 34 saves in Flyers' 4-1 win over Bruins," 2 Aug. 2020 Because the Ravens are in an empty formation, this forces them to slide their protection left (watch the center post-snap) to pick up the potential corner blitz. — John Owning, Dallas News, "3 Cowboys defenders who could thrive under DC Mike Nolan: Is LB Jaylon Smith due for bounce-back season?," 1 July 2020 Wagner used a snap shot to beat Francouz on the penalty shot. — Mike Chambers, The Denver Post, "Avalanche sweeps two-game SoCal trip with shootout victory at L.A. Kings," 23 Feb. 2020 Expect the Cowboys to use a much higher percentage of split-safety coverage along with more pre-snap disguise from the Cowboys defense. — John Owning, Dallas News, "3 Cowboys defenders who could thrive under DC Mike Nolan: Is LB Jaylon Smith due for bounce-back season?," 1 July 2020 Rather than making a snap decision about a purchase or investment, wait several days until all the facts are in. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, "Horoscope for June 28, 2020: Aries, don’t overreact to little things; Taurus, put new ventures on back burner," 28 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'snap.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

12 Aug 2020

Cite this Entry

“Snap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snap. Accessed 22 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for snap

snap

verb

English Language Learners Definition of snap

(Entry 1 of 3)

: to break quickly with a short, sharp sound

: to move into a specified position with a short, sharp sound

: to close (something) with a fastener and especially with a snap

snap

noun

English Language Learners Definition of snap (Entry 2 of 3)

: a sudden, short, sharp sound caused by something breaking or moving into a new position

: the act of snapping your fingers or the sound made when you snap your fingers

US : a device that fastens something by closing or locking with a short, sharp sound especially : a set of two metal or plastic pieces that fit tightly together when you press them

snap

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of snap (Entry 3 of 3)

: done or made suddenly or without careful thought

See the full definition for snap in the English Language Learners Dictionary

snap

\ ˈsnap

\

snapped; snapping

Kids Definition of snap

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : to break or break apart suddenly and often with a cracking noise The branch snapped.

2 : to grasp or grasp at something suddenly with the mouth or teeth

3 : to speak or utter sharply or irritably “You keep quiet!” snapped Beezus.— Beverly Cleary, Henry Huggins

4 : to make or cause to make a sharp or crackling sound snap a whip

5 : to close or fit in place with a quick movement The lid snapped shut.

6 : to put into or remove from a position suddenly or with a cracking sound She snapped on the light.

7 : to act or be acted on with energy The soldier snapped to attention.

8 : to grasp at something eagerly I snapped at the chance.

9 : to get, take, or buy at once Customers were hoping to snap up a bargain.

10 : to close by means of snaps or fasteners

11 : to take a snapshot of

12 : to make a short sharp sound by quickly moving the middle finger against the thumb

snap

Kids Definition of snap (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : a sudden short sharp sound

2 : an act of moving the middle finger against the thumb to make a short sharp sound

3 : something that is easy and presents no problems That job is a snap.

4 : a sudden change in weather a cold snap

5 : a catch or fastening that closes or locks with a click the snap on a purse

7 : a short amount of time … over the hedge he jumped in a snap …— Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

snap

Kids Definition of snap (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : made suddenly or without careful thought a snap decision

2 : closing with a click or by means of a device that snaps a snap lock

3 : very easy

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