snide

American  

[snahyd] / snaɪd /

adjective

snider, snidest

1. derogatory in a nasty, insinuating manner.

   snide remarks about his boss.

---

snide ¹ British  

/ snaɪd /

adjective

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

2. counterfeit; sham

---

noun

1. slang sham jewellery

snide ² British  

/ snaɪd /

verb

1. dialect to fill or load

---

Other Word Forms

• snideness
  noun
• snidely
  adverb

---

Etymology

Origin of snide

First recorded in 1860–65; origin uncertain

---

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

As is the case throughout, the questioners—the chairman, played with snide malice by Michael McKean, is flanked by two “investigators”—are pious, bullying and laughably disingenuous.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 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

Plaza says that Waters is known for being provocative and loves reading tabloids but that he asked to tone down Armando’s snide put-downs of celebrities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

Suddenly it came back to me: walking into Henry’s apartment, all those tired faces, Bunny’s snide greeting of “Khairei, deerslayers!”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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

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

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

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

Kabba Rega was delighted with the mechanism of Monsoor's snider rifle, which he at once understood and explained to his body-guard.

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

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• disparaging
• sarcastic
• sneering
• unkind

---