snippy

adjective

snip·​py ˈsni-pē 

snippier; snippiest

1

: short-tempered, snappish

2

: unduly brief or curt

3

: putting on airs : sniffy

snippily

ˈsni-pə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of snippy

• blunt
• abrupt
• curt
• gruff
• short
• brusque
• rude
• outspoken

Examples of snippy in a Sentence

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get snippy with you.

snippy remarks about the quality of the food at the church picnic

Recent Examples on the Web

No parents want to inflict emotional harm on their children, which is why most people strenuously avoid even getting snippy with their parents in front of the kids—and the guilt when an argument does break out can be immense. —Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025

With the unlikely help of the snippy Teng (Andy Yu), Morrow learns that Petrovich was sneaking out of his cryo-pod to conspire with Kavalier. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025

The organization sifts through reports of rudeness, terse emails, and snippy interactions, and finds reduced productivity and absenteeism costing companies’ bottom line. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2025

The snippy robot begins the film with her body destroyed but her ego as big as ever. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

snip entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for snippy

• hippie
• hippy
• tippy

Kids Definition

snippy

adjective

snip·​py ˈsnip-ē 

snippier; snippiest

1

: short-tempered, snappish

2

: rudely brief : curt