Definition of SNARKY

Snarky vs. Sarcastic

Some have questioned whether snarky is a real word. There can be no doubt that it is; the adjective has been recorded in English since 1906. Its original meaning, “crotchety, snappish,” has largely been overtaken, however, by the far more frequently-encountered sense “sarcastic, impertinent or irreverent.” The precise difference between utterances described as sarcastic and snarky will vary somewhat based on the individual using each word. Some feel that sarcastic usually implies irony, or stating the opposite of what is really intended (for example, “thank you so much for your promptness” spoken to someone who arrives late), whereas snarky implies simple impertinence or irreverence (as when Downton Abbey's Dowager Countess asks Isobel Crawley, “does it ever get cold on the moral high ground?”)

Examples of snarky in a Sentence

The writer at No. 10, Fred Mustard Stewart, died last February at 74. His obituary in The Guardian contained this snarky observation: "Year in, year out, the 600-page mark did not daunt him." — Dwight Garner, New York Times Book Review, 24 Feb. 2008 Edwards says his notorious $400 haircut and his 28,000-square-foot house are the obsessions of the media, not "normal voters." (He does have a snarkier press corps than RFK. Not only did reporters not criticize the size of Kennedy's Virginia mansion, they wrote fawning prose about the senator in the hopes of scoring an invitation.) — Jonathan Darman, Newsweek, 30 July 2007 If your coworker confronts you, admit you were wrong. But don't overexplain your snarky comment—she may get angrier. — Margaret Magnarelli, Glamour, April 2002 Even when he pays someone a compliment, it comes out snarky; recently Valentine said he thought Atlanta's Bobby Cox should be named National League Manager of the Year "because he's had to manage this year." It doesn't matter that until Monday, Valentine managed 1,703 games without making the playoffs. — S. L. Price, Sports Illustrated, 11 Oct. 1999 working all day with such snarky jerks is exhausting with champagne as a lubricant, she unleashed an unending series of snarky comments for the duration of the wedding reception

Recent Examples on the Web Williams started her 30-year-plus career as a radio emcee, working for various stations before landing her own show on New York’s WBLS and establishing her snarky voice through candid interviews with high-profile guests. — Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, "Wendy Williams tears up at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony," 17 Oct. 2019 Thankfully, the snarky Brit was outvoted by the rest of the panel and though Kelly was eliminated in the green mile round, her pair of Grammy Awards are likely sweet solace from the memory of Simon’s famous cruelty. — Glenn Rowley, Billboard, "Todrick Hall, Tori Kelly & More Stars You Forgot Were on 'American Idol'," 16 Oct. 2019 This includes wide-eyed children, young romantics, snarky servants, needy neighbors and others who hang around the house wondering how their lives turned out this way. — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, "Review: A welcome, traditional production of Chekhov’s classic ‘Cherry Orchard’ at CT Rep," 7 Oct. 2019 Its name begs for some snarky rejoinder about its misleading value proposition. — Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, "Greens is brighter than ever as it soars through its midlife crisis," 3 Oct. 2019 In other words: The conference won’t comment on calls just because a coach loses his mind and the fans scream and yell and the media chimes in with snarky comments about Pac-12 officials. — Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, "Hotline newsletter: Pac-12 makes significant shift to transparency in football officiating (without going too far)," 27 Aug. 2019 Instead of sharing something toxic with a snarky comment about human idiocy, enroll as a volunteer/tutor/mentor. Let’s try it. — Heidi Stevens, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Pink issued an internet challenge to the world: Go one day without criticizing anyone. I’m in! You?," 22 Aug. 2019 On her way to the grocery store, June collects supplies from the other handmaids for her plan to smuggle the children out of Gilead, and even delivers a few snarky comments to a clearly suspicious Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, "'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 3 finale recap: A gorgeous and completely nonsensical ending," 14 Aug. 2019 Logan – once the perennial screw-up with a snarky retort for every conversation – is now far more emotionally evolved than Veronica, attending therapy and excelling in a military career. — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, "Review: Hulu's 'Veronica Mars' is the best TV revival in years," 20 May 2019

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