snort
Americanverb (used without object)
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(of animals) to force the breath violently through the nostrils with a loud, harsh sound.
The spirited horse snorted and shied at the train.
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(of persons) to express contempt, indignation, etc., by a similar sound.
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Slang. to take a drug by inhaling.
verb (used with object)
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to utter with a snort.
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to expel (air, sound, etc.) by or as by snorting.
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Slang. to take (a drug) by inhaling.
to snort cocaine.
noun
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the act or sound of snorting.
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Slang. a quick drink of liquor; shot.
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Slang.
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an act or instance of taking a drug by inhalation.
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the amount of drug inhaled.
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British. snorkel.
verb
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(intr) to exhale forcibly through the nostrils, making a characteristic noise
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(intr) (of a person) to express contempt or annoyance by such an exhalation
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(tr) to utter in a contemptuous or annoyed manner
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slang to inhale (a powdered drug) through the nostrils
noun
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a forcible exhalation of air through the nostrils, esp (of persons) as a noise of contempt or annoyance
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slang an instance of snorting a drug
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Also called: snorter. slang a short drink, esp an alcoholic one
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slang the snorkel on a submarine
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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snortsimple
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snortssimple
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have snortedperfect
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has snortedperfect
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am snortingprogressive
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are snortingprogressive
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is snortingprogressive
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have been snortingperfect progressive
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has been snortingperfect progressive
Past
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snortedsimple
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had snortedperfect
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was snortingprogressive
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were snortingprogressive
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had been snortingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of snort
1325–75; Middle English snorten (v.); probably akin to snore
Explanation
A snort is a sound you make by suddenly exhaling through your nose, especially if you're disgusted by something. Your response to your little brother's tempter tantrum might be a disdainful snort. You can use the word snort as a noun or a verb — students might find it hard not to snort when they're listening to a boring and endless lecture by their vice principal. You and your friends may also snort with contempt when you're watching a really bad movie. In the fourteenth century, to snort meant to snore — it wasn't until the 1800's that snort came to mean "verbally express contempt."
Vocabulary lists containing snort
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.
See Examples For:
With the afternoon sun beating down while the cows snort and moo, the workers inspect and clean the animals' teats, which are then attached to milking equipment.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
“I fail to see why modesty is considered a virtue,” he says with a snort.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
The writer Jia Tolentino characterized it as “what a ballerina might do if you concussed her and then made her snort caffeine pills.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2025
As he reentered the courtroom on Tuesday, Eric Trump noticed Conway and gave a dismissive smirk and a snort.
From Slate ● May 1, 2024
But Natalie just gave a half snort and tilted back against the wall.
From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Hedgehogs may be communicating with more than just snuffles, grunts and snorts, according to scientists who have discovered the animal's hearing range.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
The sounds of snorts drew Zambian farmer Mkanda Nkhata, 75, out of his house one day in 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Patel’s opening statement was punctuated by a series of snorts so loud that it seemed he might soon eject a noodle from his sinus cavity.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2025
He found that every species he recorded produced some sort of sound, including quacks, bleeps, grunts, crackles, toots and snorts.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 25, 2022
Judging by his preamble of snorts and leg slaps, I figured he must have practiced this joke many times: “I tell my daughter, Hey, why be poor? Marry rich!”
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
"Well then do it, if you want to do it!" snorted Dmytro Sova, a 42-year-old actor, speaking to AFP in Kyiv.
From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026
Young described how one doctor "snorted" when she suggested she might have fibromyalgia, before she was finally diagnosed.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2024
They’ve pawed and snorted over terms of a debate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2023
Wood snorted repeatedly and gasped before he died.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2022
“That must have been obnoxious,” she said, and I snorted quietly.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Other symptoms include waking up a lot, loud snoring and gasping, snorting or choking.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
The popularity of Mr. Harris’s later novels featuring Hannibal faded: “Hannibal” was dismissed by Martin Amis as being, “on all levels, a snorting, rooting, oinking porker.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
“Peter was always right there off-camera becoming an ape, snorting, sniffing, acting out and getting the performers into the mood,” says Saxon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2025
For sleep, participants were asked about snorting, gasping or breathing pauses in their sleep.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024
Henry made a funny little snorting noise through his nose.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
