snapshot
Americannoun
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an informal photograph, especially one taken quickly by a handheld camera.
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Hunting. a quick shot taken without deliberate aim.
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Informal. a brief appraisal, summary, or profile.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of snapshot
1800–10 snapshot for def. 2; 1860–65 snapshot for def. 1; snap (in the sense “done suddenly or casually”) + shot 1
Explanation
A snapshot is a quick photograph taken for fun. Be sure to take lots of snapshots while you're on vacation! Using the word snapshot makes it clear you're not talking about professional photographs or artistic shots you've put some thought into. A snapshot just captures a brief moment in time. You can also use this word to mean "impression or summary." A person's obituary, even if deeply moving, can never be more than a snapshot of their varied, complex life. The original 17th0century meaning of snapshot was "quick shot with a gun at a fast-moving target."
Vocabulary lists containing snapshot
Photography Lingo
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Additional Literary Terms, Unit 2
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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.
If financial records for several months are not private, the judge wrote, “surely this request for a two-hour snapshot of one’s public movements” is not private either.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
However, the findings provide an important snapshot of how gray whales are responding to rapidly changing environmental conditions.
From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026
The snapshot of war-fueled inflation has forced investors to come to terms with the dwindling possibility that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates soon.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Any stock screen is only a snapshot, meant to help you with your own research through which you can form your own opinion about a potential investment.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
The flash of the Polaroid goes off and my father hands me the snapshot.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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.
