plural snakes
1
: an animal that has a long, thin body and no arms or legs
a poisonous snake
2
chiefly US, informal
: a bad person who tells lies and betrays other people
He's a dirty snake!
I thought she was my friend, but she turned out to be a snake in the grass.
3
: a long thin tool that is used to clear out blocked pipes
called also plumber's snake
snakes; snaked; snaking
: to move like a snake : to follow a twisting path with many turns
The road snakes through the mountains.
Cables snaked across the floor.
Technicians snaked cables through the set.
He snaked his way through the crowd.
Cite this Entry
“Snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/snake. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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