What does "snob" mean?
A person who wishes to be seen as a member of the upper classes and who looks down on those perceived to have inferior or unrefined tastes.
Snob
/snɒb/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who wishes to be seen as a member of the upper classes and who looks down on those perceived to have inferior or unrefined tastes.
- Grammar: snob is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: prig, aesthetes, belittle, bootlicker.
- Useful contrasts: admire, honor, humility.
- Usage evidence: Tom comes across as a big snob.
How to use "snob"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "snob" 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 "snob" 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 "snob" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "snob" 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 "snob" is acting as noun, 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 "prig" 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 "snob", 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 A person who wishes to be seen as a member of the upper classes and who looks down on those perceived to have inferior or unrefined tastes. derogatory, informal
""How do you do?" said Mabel politely. "No, I'm not from the town. I live at Yalding Towers." The name seemed to impress Mademoiselle very much. Gerald anxiously hoped in his own mind that she was not a snob."
- 2 a person regarded as arrogant and annoying wordnet
- 3 A cobbler or shoemaker. colloquial
"The snobs were also kind to him, and gave him a pair of boots which they assured him were of a type and quality reserved entirely for officers […]"
- 4 A member of the lower classes; a commoner. dated
"'D'ye know a slap-up sort of button, when you see it?' said the youth. 'Don't look at mine, if you ain't a judge, because these lions' heads was made for men of taste: not snobs.'"
- 5 A workman who works for lower wages than his fellows, especially one who will not join a strike (a scab). archaic
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A townsman, as opposed to a gownsman.
Example
"Tom comes across as a big snob."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "snob"?
Common synonyms include: prig, aesthetes, belittle, bootlicker, brahmin, chichi.
How do you use "snob" in a sentence?
Tom comes across as a big snob.
How do you pronounce "snob"?
Pronounced /snɒb/.
Etymology
Late 18th century dialectal English snob (“cobbler”), of unknown origin. Early senses of the word carried the meaning of "lower status"; it was then used to describe those seeking to imitate those of higher wealth or status. Folk etymology derives it from the Latin phrase sine nobilitate (“without nobility”), but early uses had no connection to this. The modern sense was popularized by William Makepeace Thackeray in The Book of Snobs (1848).