1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

snag 1 of 2

noun

ˈsnag How to pronounce snag (audio)
Definition of snagnext
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized we ran into a slight snag the night before the show

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

snag

2 of 2

verb

as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly often late for work, I generally snag a bagel as I run out the door in the morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of snag
Noun
But the manufacturer hit an unfortunate snag early in the car’s production run that kept more than 100 Stingrays from ever hitting the road. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026 Seeing the Braves compete in this series with the Dodgers, from the walk-off win to the ace performances to the timely snags to Truist Park’s eruptions, hearkened back memories of October 2021. — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
Jordan Morris recorded his third assist of the campaign on the equalizer, and rookie Peter Kingston snagged his first one in his 19th career appearance. — CBS News, 13 Sep. 2026 Prospect got the ball right back when Moran snagged his third pick near midfield and ran it back to the 26-yard line. — Mike McGraw, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for snag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snag
  1. hitch
  2. grab
  3. catch
  4. snatch
  5. risk
Noun
  • As Clear Lake faces mercury contamination, toxic algal blooms and predatory invasive fish, the Clear Lake hitch — known by local tribes as the chi — are in serious trouble.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Swing trailer-hitch bike rack this summer and absolutely loved it.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hitch
Verb
  • Emmys nights one and two saw Widow’s Bay pick up a whopping eight trophies, one short of The Studio’s total of nine last year, and this evening might end with Widow’s Bay grabbing a lot of the same awards The Studio did last year.
    — Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers have long recognized that humor can grab attention, deepen social connection, and build attraction.
    — Norbert Schwarz, Harvard Business Review, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of grab
Noun
  • Labeled as a generational talent before the 2024 draft, the wide receiver put up decent numbers as a rookie but struggled to make contested catches.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Wide receiver Kyle McNeal dropped a catch-and-run opportunity that could have resulted in a significant gain, while tight end Jackson Verdugo and Gaines had already dropped passes earlier in the game.
    — Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of catch
Verb
  • Faria was down a break and scrambling to survive, having snatched the opening set by getting past Alcaraz’s defenses.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Antiques Roadshow, which has been airing on PBS since 1997, won its first ever Emmy in 24 attempts and snatched the award away from Queer Eye and Shark Tank for the first time since 2013.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of snatch
Noun
  • For their part, Chinese leaders have also sounded the alarm about AI, warning of the risks posed by foreign entities with advanced capabilities.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Today, the most-valuable conversations are about what the information means, what risk is emerging and what action should be taken next.
    — Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of risk

Browse Nearby Words

snafus
snag
snagged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Snag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snag. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All