What does "snug" mean?
A small, comfortable back room in a pub.
Snug
/snʌɡ/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small, comfortable back room in a pub.
- Grammar: snug is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: airtight, airworthy, anal, autistic.
- Useful contrasts: baggier, baggiest, loose fit.
- Usage evidence: The snow keeps the young plants snug and warm.
How to use "snug"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "snug" 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 "snug" 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 "snug" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "snug" 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 "snug" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb 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 "airtight" 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 "snug", 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 small, comfortable back room in a pub. British
- 2 a small secluded room wordnet
- 3 A lug.
Verb
- 1 To make secure or snug. transitive
"He snugged his Gun into its tunic holster, checked the scope on his Follower and left the room."
- 2 To snuggle or nestle.
- 3 To make smooth. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Warm and comfortable; cosy.
"I felt snug tucked up in my snug bed."
- 2 Satisfactory.
"I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never addresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause; but, in the cool tranquillity of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds, and mortgages, and title-deeds."
- 3 Close-fitting.
"[I]t does make it clear that adding the keyboard case to the PinePhone will more than double the thickness. You may still be able to slide the whole thing into your pocket, but it’s likely to be more of a snug fit than when using the phone on its own."
- 4 Close; concealed; not exposed to notice.
"Be ſure at Will’s the following Day, / Lie ſnug, and hear what Criticks ſay."
Adjective
- 1 enjoying or affording comforting warmth and shelter especially in a small space wordnet
- 2 well and tightly constructed wordnet
- 3 fitting closely but comfortably wordnet
- 4 offering safety; well protected or concealed wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A suburb of the Huon Valley council area and the Kingborough council area, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Example
"The snow keeps the young plants snug and warm."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "snug"?
Common synonyms include: airtight, airworthy, anal, autistic, bashful, bold.
How do you use "snug" in a sentence?
The snow keeps the young plants snug and warm.
How do you pronounce "snug"?
Pronounced /snʌɡ/.
Etymology
From dialectal English snug (“tight, handsome”), perhaps from Old Norse snøggr, from Proto-Germanic *snawwuz (“short, quick, fast”). Compare Icelandic snöggur (“smooth”), Danish snög (“neat”), Swedish snygg (“handsome, nice-looking”). Compare also English snudge (“to nestle, remain snug and quiet”).