snaky

American  

[sney-kee] / ˈsneɪ ki /

adjective

snakier, snakiest

1. of or relating to snakes.

2. abounding in snakes, as a place.

3. snakelike; twisting, winding, or sinuous.

4. venomous; treacherous or insidious.

   a snaky remark.

5. consisting of, entwined with, or bearing a representation of snakes or serpents, as a ring.

6. Australian Informal. irritable, angry, or spiteful.

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snaky British  

/ ˈsneɪkɪ /

adjective

1. of or like a snake; sinuous

2. treacherous or insidious

3. infested with snakes

4. informal angry or bad-tempered

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Other Word Forms

• snakiness
  noun
• unsnaky
  adjective
• snakily
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of snaky

First recorded in 1560–70; snake + -y ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snaky snakier snakiest

On “Anatomical Fable of the Elements,” atop a snaky bassline and a throbbing beat, Ms. Muldrow poses questions: “Is your nose witness to the sweet life?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026

It couldn’t have helped the DOJ’s position that Boasberg is probably one of the most experienced jurists in the U.S. judiciary when it comes to dealing with this administration’s snaky tactics.

From Slate ● Mar. 19, 2026

She added it was "almost snaky", starting gradually.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

Smooth lawns and snaky ones and weedy ones and some resistant to herbicides.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2022

He could still feel the gorgons’ claws pressing into his arms and smell their snaky breath—like dead mice and poison.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

It was hair that could turn the Medusa to stone, hair snakier than all the snake pits in a minotaur movie.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

After all, Texas is one of the snakiest states in the nation, with more than 80 species, 11 of them venomous.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 18, 2022

The twisting of the track, 'without rhyme or reason,' reminded me of the snakiest paths in Central Africa.

From To The Gold Coast for Gold, Vol. II A Personal Narrative by Sir Richard Francis Burton

A cow-puncher togged up like he was going after the snakiest bronk in the country, when he was only going to drive to town in a buckboard!

From Chip, of the Flying U by Charles M. Russell

He’s an iceberg, an’ he’s got the snakiest gun-hand of any man in the country.

From 'Drag' Harlan by Charles Alden Seltzer

There had been much calumniating cackle in the little town; nay, more: cackle is of geese; there had been venom of the snakiest kind.

From The Rough Road by William John Locke