snipe

1 of 2

noun

ˈsnīp 

plural snipes

1

or plural snipe : any of various usually slender-billed birds of the sandpiper family

especially : any of several game birds (especially genus Gallinago) especially of marshy areas

2

: a contemptible person

snipe

2 of 2

verb

sniped; sniping

intransitive verb

1

: to shoot at exposed individuals (as of an enemy's forces) from a usually concealed point of vantage

2

: to aim a carping or snide attack

sniper noun

Examples of snipe in a Sentence

Verb

Enemy fighters sniped at them from vacant buildings.

One of the senators sniped, “What does he think this is, a monarchy?”.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tim Donovan scored a goal with 59 seconds left in the first, before Max Monahan opened the second frame with a snipe as the Skippers trimmed their deficit to 3-2. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 15 June 2025

Florida then doubled its lead on a Verhaeghe power play goal with 2:15 left in the opening period with a snipe from the left circle on a feed from Evan Rodrigues. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025

Verb

With 9:24 to play, Lee fired a shot over his back shoulder, sniping twine for his third goal as the Eagles pulled further away with an 11-3 advantage. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025

Willy Robinson sniped six goals, shattering a program record for career tallies (284 overall) as No. 5 Scituate (15-5) punched its ticket to the next round with a 17-8 win over No. 12 Dover-Sherborn. —Danny Ventura, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse snīpa snipe; akin to Old High German snepfa snipe

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for snipe

• gripe
• hype
• lipe
• pipe
• ripe
• sipe
• skype
• stipe
• stripe
• strype
• swipe
• tripe

Kids Definition

snipe

1 of 2 noun

ˈsnīp 

plural snipes or snipe

: any of several birds that have a long slender bill, live mostly in marshy areas, and are related to the sandpipers

snipe

2 of 2 verb

sniped; sniping

1

: to shoot at exposed individuals of an enemy's forces from a usually concealed point

2

: to attack with unfair or cutting remarks

sniper noun