What does "snip" mean?
The act of snipping; cutting a small amount off of something.
Snip
/snɪp/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of snipping; cutting a small amount off of something.
- Grammar: snip is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: clip, snippet, amputate, ax.
- Useful contrasts: expand, extend, full recording.
- Usage evidence: Snip, snap, snout, this tale's told out.
How to use "snip"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "snip" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "snip" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "snip" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "snip" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "snip" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "clip" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "snip", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of snipping; cutting a small amount off of something.
- 2 the act of clipping or snipping wordnet
- 3 A single cut with scissors, clippers, or similar tool.
- 4 a small piece of anything (especially a piece that has been snipped off) wordnet
- 5 A small amount of something; a pinch.
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 A piece cut out by snipping.
"It was true about the fanmaking; the table and floor were littered with snips of paper."
- 7 Something acquired for a low price; a bargain. informal
"That wholesale auction lot was a snip at $10."
- 8 A vasectomy. definite, euphemistic
- 9 A small or weak person, especially a young one. informal
"'Might as well come out now, you little snip, from wherever you be hiding!'"
- 10 An act or sound of snipping, the sound produced by scissors. onomatopoeic
- 11 An impertinent or mischievous person. dated
"Nor was the lady's establishment more fortunate in gaining the regard of the household. The maid was a verjuiced spinster, too old to love herself, and too ill-natured to look on. The footman was a regular snip […]"
- 12 A share or portion; a snack. obsolete
"His Third Query is a Frank Proposal, without any more ado, of taking all the Church Lands into the Crown; and Courteously he offers the Poor Cavaliers a Snip in the Booty"
- 13 A tailor. obsolete, slang
"[…] you fool, why did you let out that you were a snip?" "I am not ashamed of my trade.”"
- 14 A white marking on a horse's muzzle, between the nostrils.
Verb
- 1 To cut with short sharp actions, as with scissors.
"I don't want you to take much hair off; just snip my mullet off."
- 2 cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of wordnet
- 3 To reduce the price of a product, to create a snip.
- 4 sever or remove by pinching or snipping wordnet
- 5 To break off; to snatch away.
"The captain seldom ordered anything out of the ship's stores […] but I snipt […]some of it for my own share."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 To circumcise. informal
"Circumcised fathers face a special problem. Do you want your son's willy to be that radically different from your own? So, parents should perhaps not be put off. Be good to your son's future lovers and have him snipped."
- 7 To perform a vasectomy. informal
- 8 To remove the irrelevant parts of quotations in the reply message. Internet
- 9 To speak or say in a snippish manner.
""No, Jo, it wasn't one bit crowded, there was room enought ^([sic]) for everyone," she burbled on. "And we were there, and all these other wymeen too, of all shapes, sizes, and colors..." "Hmpgh! Very politically correct!" Jo snipped."
Example
"Snip, snap, snout, this tale's told out."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "snip"?
Common synonyms include: clip, snippet, amputate, ax, bakehead, bantam.
How do you use "snip" in a sentence?
Snip, snap, snout, this tale's told out.
How do you pronounce "snip"?
Pronounced /snɪp/.
Etymology
From Dutch snippen (“to snip; shred”) or Low German snippen (“to snip; shred”), of imitative origin. Compare snap.