snide

American  

[snahyd] / snaɪd /

adjective

snider, snidest

1. derogatory in a nasty, insinuating manner.

   snide remarks about his boss.

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snide ¹ British  

/ snaɪd /

adjective

1. Also: snidey. (of a remark, etc) maliciously derogatory; supercilious

2. counterfeit; sham

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noun

1. slang sham jewellery

snide ² British  

/ snaɪd /

verb

1. dialect to fill or load

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Other Word Forms

• snideness
  noun
• snidely
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of snide

First recorded in 1860–65; origin uncertain

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Explanation

Snide means insulting or contemptuous in an indirect way. If your friend is wearing too much purple eye shadow and your other friend whispers to you, “What? Was she in a car wreck?” that’s a snide comment. Snide remarks are the kinds of things people say with a sneer on their face. When you leave a movie theater and your friend says, “I can’t believe someone was actually paid to write that screenplay,” he’s being snide. Instead of saying, “That movie was terrible,” he's expressing his disdain in a more underhanded and indirect way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snide snider snidest

The doting boyfriend, the overzealous best friend, the snide coworker, the absentee mother — played here by Kristen Johnston, whose character’s name is ingeniously spelled “Beverlee.”

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

Fast, crisp and snide, “The Diary of a Chambermaid” gives equal weight to the monotony and the absurdity of Gianina’s grind.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

“I don’t think there’s anything unique about being a second home to wealthy people,” said Bridges, a senior who plays soccer under the Millionaire name and said her team faces snide remarks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026

But where “The Monkey’s” snide sense of humor about its kills quickly grew smug, this time Perkins’ light touch — even during the most frightening moments — gives this slight film just the right proportionality.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025

In fact, Grandma has been over here more than a minute and hasn’t made one snide remark about her yet.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

I only had the "Dutchman," and my attendant Monsoor carried a snider rifle; thus we were badly armed for so impenetrable a beast.

From Ismailia by Sir Samuel White Baker

By sunset all was completed and the vessel reloaded; but I sent twenty-eight boxes of snider ammunition on board the tender.

From Ismailia by Sir Samuel White Baker

The teak boxes for snider ammunition, also the boxes of Hale's rockets, were lined and hermetically sealed with soldered tin.

From Ismailia by Sir Samuel White Baker

The total, including that from the men's cartouche-boxes, was cartridges for snider rifles 4,540 and cartridges for muskets 4,330, making a total of 8,870 rounds.

From Ismailia by Sir Samuel White Baker

The authorities at Woolwich had kindly supplied the expedition with 200 Hale's rockets—three-pounders—and fifty snider rifles, together with 50,000 rounds of snider ammunition.

From Ismailia by Sir Samuel White Baker

We know this because Charles Dance recites Michelangelo’s snidest journal passages throughout, bringing a welcome pettiness to an otherwise staid chapter of art history.

From Salon ● May 16, 2026

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Related Words

• disparaging
• sarcastic
• sneering
• unkind

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