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snooker

American  
[snook-er, snoo-ker] / ˈsnʊk ər, ˈsnu kər /

noun

  1. a variety of pool played with 15 red balls and 6 balls of colors other than red, in which a player must shoot one of the red balls, each with a point value of 1, into a pocket before shooting at one of the other balls, with point values of from 2 to 7.

verb (used with object)

  1. Slang. to deceive, cheat, or dupe.

    to be snookered by a mail order company.
snooker British  
/ ˈsnuːkə /

noun

  1. a game played on a billiard table with 15 red balls, six balls of other colours, and a white cue ball. The object is to pot the balls in a certain order

  2. a shot in which the cue ball is left in a position such that another ball blocks the object ball. The opponent is then usually forced to play the cue ball off a cushion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to leave (an opponent) in an unfavourable position by playing a snooker

  2. to place (someone) in a difficult situation

  3. (often passive) to thwart; defeat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of snooker

First recorded in 1885–90; origin uncertain

Vocabulary lists containing snooker

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"After that win, he was received by the vice governor of the Gansu province and this will be much bigger than that," said Chinese snooker reporter Joe Liu, who works for World Snooker.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Watch as Mark Allen misses a simple match-winning pot on the black during his semi-final loss against Wu Yize in the World Snooker Championship.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

"Over my dead body," said Barry Hearn, then the chairman of World Snooker, amid suspicions some years ago that under his leadership the tournament might leave Sheffield.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Former world number one Mark Allen produced a superb potting display as he fought back from 6-4 down to beat China's Zhang Anda 10-6 in the first round of the World Snooker Championship.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

A year ago young Snooker had done a month for one of those very trout.

From Mr. Britling Sees It Through by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.