whippersnapper

noun

whip·per·snap·per | \ ˈhwi-pər-ˌsna-pər

How to pronounce whippersnapper (audio)

, ˈwi-\

Definition of whippersnapper

: a diminutive, insignificant, or presumptuous person

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about whippersnapper

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of whippersnapper in a Sentence

some young whippersnapper piped up with a pointless comment

Recent Examples on the Web

Brees, meanwhile, will try to keep up with the 24-year-old whippersnapper from the Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff. — Jason Gay, WSJ, "Tom Brady & Drew Brees: Beware the Zombie Geezers!," 14 Jan. 2019 Would this shirtless whippersnapper rob Timothée of his title? — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "How Did Timothée Chalamet Spend 2018? We’re So Glad You Asked," 10 Dec. 2018 For a relative whippersnapper (he’s 38), Reihan Salam has been writing about the relationship between the Republican Party’s policy agenda and its electoral coalition for a long time. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "No, Democratic Populism Won’t Force GOP To Accept Big Government," 1 May 2018 Cook, 32, acknowledges that most young whippersnappers just don’t print out photos as part of their regular routine. — Scott Kirsner, BostonGlobe.com, "These companies want you to print your pictures," 16 Mar. 2018 That whippersnapper, in other words, would look fly af. — Sam Mellinger, kansascity, "Mellinger Minutes: Royals camp, Big 12, Mizzou, Chiefs outlook, Sporting, and more | The Kansas City Star," 6 Mar. 2018 But get this: According to a Goldman Sachs survey, Generation Z (the oldest are roughly 25 now) is more valuable to organizations than even those whippersnapper Millennials. — Steve Strauss, USA TODAY, "Small business trends: Look out for the rise of the robots," 15 Jan. 2018 In modern-day literature, whippersnappers who wouldn't know a mule from a hole in the ground are killing mules by the caravan. — Southern Living, "Southern Journal: The Quill and the Mule," 22 Mar. 2011 There are certainly octogenarians who are physically fit, sharp as a tack, and as competent at work as any whippersnapper. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Democrats Should Not Consider a Presidential Nominee Who’s Older Than Trump," 22 Oct. 2017

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about whippersnapper

Dictionary Entries near whippersnapper

Statistics for whippersnapper

Last Updated

8 Mar 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for whippersnapper

The first known use of whippersnapper was in 1700

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for whippersnapper

whippersnapper

noun

English Language Learners Definition of whippersnapper

informal + old-fashioned : a young person who annoys older people by being very confident and acting like someone important

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

Keep scrolling for more

Comments on whippersnapper

What made you want to look up whippersnapper? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

nonpareil

having no equal

Test Your Vocabulary

Words from Greek and Latin Quiz

Which of the following months comes from a Latin word for “ten”?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ