snarky
Americanadjective
-
testy or irritable; short.
-
having a rudely critical tone or manner.
snarky humor.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of snarky
Explanation
A snarky comment is sarcastic and impertinent. It would be snarky to roll your eyes and yawn loudly while your friend is telling you the plot of a movie they really enjoyed. Snarky originally meant "cranky or bad-tempered." By the end of the 20th century, it took on the additional meaning of "irreverent or contemptuous." When you say something snarky, you're probably trying to be funny, but in a biting or mean way. If you're tempted to leave snarky comments on a website or whisper something snarky to your friend about a classmate, you may want to consider the adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"
Vocabulary lists containing snarky
Falling Short
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Merci Suárez Plays It Cool
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Just Right Jillian
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The comment was made in response to a snarky Instagram user who accused Holly of undergoing plastic surgery, claiming that her “surgeon did an amazing job.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
Non-soccer fans might enjoy the snarky dialogue and bare-knuckled machinations — it plays like a Spanish-language, soccer-themed “Succession” or “Marty Supreme.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
While there are still "snarky one-liners" and moments of wit in the sequel, the characters find themselves in a "whole new landscape", Blunt says.
From BBC ● May 1, 2026
Local athletes, tired of snarky comments from competitors, have bemoaned the name for years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Jane's just a smart, snarky girl with too-curly hair.
From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan
On social media, Villanueva — who was voted out of office himself four years after succeeding McDonnell — struck a snarkier tone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2024
Ryan Grim, Washington bureau chief for The Intercept, was snarkier: “Can’t imagine why they didn’t want this screaming at their shoppers. Really unfair man.”
From Washington Times ● Jul. 6, 2023
Global leaders have been sending their congratulations to the UK's new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, but in the international media, there have been snarkier remarks, too.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2022
That real, profound loss may be why the criticism of this new movie and its irreverent, snarkier tone has felt so impassioned.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 14, 2022
Take it a step snarkier and dismiss them as creaky — or even flat-out old.
From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2017
There's clearly a bright future for Yelena — who might just become the snarkiest, most delightfully sarcastic person in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, carrying on the legacy of her sister, the first female Avenger.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2021
He also delivers some of the show’s snarkiest, wonderfully flippant lines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2020
He’s both the snarkiest of the major networks’ late-night hosts and a TV classicist at heart, the sort of roastmaster and toastmaster who could spike the punchbowl without tipping it completely over.
From New York Times ● Sep. 19, 2016
Sometimes it feels like we must be the snarkiest, slangiest, least-formal generation in human history.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 1, 2014
And as fun as it is to watch Scandal on a second screen, even the snarkiest tweet is a poor substitute for the real, live, exasperated groans brought on by Olivia and Fitz’s toxic relationship.
From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2013
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.
