snark

[ snahrk ]

/ snɑrk /

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noun

a mysterious, imaginary animal.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of snark

First recorded in 1876; coined by Lewis Carroll in his poem The Hunting of the Snark

Words nearby snark

snap to, snap up, snare, snare drum, snarf, snark, snarky, snarl, snarler, snarl-up, snarly

Other definitions for snark (2 of 2)

snark²

[ snahrk ]

/ snɑrk /

Slang.

verb (used without object)

to be critical in a rude or sarcastic way: to snark about the neighbors.

noun

rude or sarcastic criticism.

Origin of snark

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”

How to use snark in a sentence

If you are looking for snark and biting humor, this is not your book — Shepherd plays it straight the whole way.
History’s famous delusions, those who believed them — and why|Lucinda Robb|August 5, 2022|Washington Post
Aaron Sorkin landed the perfect snark when he observed in a 2002 West Wing script that the incumbent President would read his challenger’s latest book as soon as its purported author had.
Welcome to the New Era of Political Memoir, Where Leaving Readers Uneasy Is the Point|Philip Elliott|July 20, 2022|Time
Her media diet included shows like VH1’s I Love the ’90s, a series that revisited pop-culture phenomena with snark rather than rigor.
You're Wrong About Host Sarah Marshall Was Always Fascinated by History's Misunderstood Women. Now the Rest of Us Are Too|Eliana Dockterman|February 22, 2022|Time
Magazines that devoted their pages to diet tips and celebrity snark suddenly started preaching “empowerment.”
Is confidence a cult? These sociologists think so.|Rebecca Jennings|January 18, 2022|Vox

There are moments of Anatomy that are maybe funny, but there was no snark to hide behind.
Dana Schwartz Wrote the YA Romance She Always Wanted to Read|Simmone Shah|January 11, 2022|Time
See how much snark was unleashed against “dad rock” by the recent U2 iTunes Songs of Innocence fiasco.
Of Gamers, Gates, and Disco Demolition: The Roots of Reactionary Rage|Arthur Chu|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It zips like all comedies seem to zip today, quick and nimble, its tone affectionate snark.
Why ‘Black-ish’ Has a Gay Problem|Tim Teeman|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But critiques and snark have no place, watching re-runs late at night.
Thank You for Being a Friend: Why TV Re-runs Never Grow Old|Tim Teeman|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jimmy Fallon's uncontainable glee is a welcome respite from late night's usual smarm and snark, but that's Fallon's thing.
Seth Meyers Gets Off to a Rocky Start on 'Late Night'|Kevin Fallon|February 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For such searing, challenging dreams, we have only snark or smarm.
How to Fight for Freedom in 2014|James Poulos|December 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
There were also a lot of bathing machines, which made me vaguely wonder if a Snark had once inhabited the place.
Fanny Goes to War|Pat Beauchamp
So it seems best partly to take the advice of the Bellman, in the "Hunting of the Snark," to skip sundry years.
The Honorable Peter Stirling and What People Thought of Him|Paul Leicester Ford
Then the Snark has four water-tight compartments, which is to say that her length is broken by three water-tight bulkheads.
The Cruise of the Snark|Jack London
Thus, no matter how large a leak the Snark may spring, Only one compartment can fill with water.
The Cruise of the Snark|Jack London
Whenever I looked at the bow of the Snark or thought of her water-tight compartments, I was encouraged.
The Cruise of the Snark|Jack London