snark
1 Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of snark1
First recorded in 1876; coined by Lewis Carroll in his poem The Hunting of the Snark
Origin of snark2
First recorded in 1910–15; dialectal snark “to nag, find fault with”; apparently identical with snark, snork “to snort, snore,” probably from Dutch, Low German snorken “to snore”
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 gossip and snark is what you’re after, try Lena Dunham’s episode where she talks about an awkward meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook and quitting vaping.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
The beloved “Back to the Future” and “Family Ties” star answered his own query via Threads, issuing a call-out post wrapped in some snark and plenty of grace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
Snappiness and snark are hallmarks of his earliest series, but eventually Tartakovsky realized that the barrage of dialogue allowed audiences to understand what was going on without feeling it.
From Salon ● Feb. 1, 2026
Two hugely popular California wines, Caymus Cabernet and the Bordeaux-style red Opus One, are the targets of a fair amount of snark in r/wine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
Lydia spoke quietly, the snark gone from her voice.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
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.
