snapshot

noun

snap·​shot ˈsnap-ˌshät 

1

: a casual photograph made typically by an amateur with a small handheld camera

2

: an impression or view of something brief or transitory

a snapshot of life back then

Synonyms of snapshot

• photo
• photograph
• pic

Examples of snapshot in a Sentence

fans excitedly took snapshots of the rock star as he dashed into the hotel

Recent Examples on the Web

The rediscovered recordings also offer a snapshot of what made the band matter beyond its music. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026

The team used a technique called metabolomics to measure small molecules circulating in the blood, providing a biochemical snapshot of how the astronauts' bodies — and the microbes living inside them — were responding to spaceflight. — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Indeed, the Lorentz contraction compresses a moving object, although the contraction does not appear in a snapshot of the object. — Aaron Shattuck, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026

For teachers, conferences can mean pressure to give a snapshot of a child’s progress, with the next opportunity to connect months away — if at all. — Cheyanne Mumphrey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for snapshot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

snapshot

noun

snap·​shot ˈsnap-ˌshät 

: a photograph taken usually with a small hand-held camera