snark

¹ American  

[snahrk] / snɑrk /

noun

1. a mysterious, imaginary animal.

---

snark ² American  

[snahrk] / snɑrk /

verb (used without object)

1. to be critical in a rude or sarcastic way.

   to snark about the neighbors.

---

noun

1. rude or sarcastic criticism.

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

And so, when Dubai and other parts of the United Arab Emirates were targeted by some 1,400 Iranian missiles and drones over the past several days, the reaction abroad was often gloating and snark.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 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

We get the hint that she has a dark backstory, that her snark is a shield, but we’ll have to wait for Book 2 to find out.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2025

You conclude a note of optimism, which is evident in your tone throughout — I enjoyed your lighthearted snark.

From Salon • May 26, 2025

Jake gives me the side-eye but doesn’t respond to my snark, which I’ve been trying to suppress, in large part for my parents’ peace of mind.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed