snip
Americanverb (used with object)
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snips,
present (3rd person singular)
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snipped,
past participle, past
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snipping
present participle
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to cut with a small, quick stroke, or a succession of such strokes, with scissors or the like.
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to remove or cut off (something) by or as by cutting in this manner.
to snip a rose.
verb (used without object)
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snips,
present (3rd person singular)
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snipped,
past participle, past
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snipping
present participle
noun
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snips
plural
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the act of snipping, as with scissors.
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a small cut made by snipping.
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a small piece snipped off.
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a small piece, bit, or amount of anything.
a snip of food.
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Informal. a small or insignificant person.
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Informal. a presumptuous or impertinent person.
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snips, small, strong hand shears used by sheet metal workers.
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British Informal. a bargain.
verb
noun
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the act of snipping
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the sound of scissors or shears closing
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Also called: snipping. a small piece of anything, esp one that has been snipped off
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a small cut made by snipping
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an informal word for bargain
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informal something easily done; cinch
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informal a small or insignificant person or thing, esp an irritating or insolent one
interjection
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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snipsimple
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snipssimple
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have snippedperfect
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has snippedperfect
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am snippingprogressive
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are snippingprogressive
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is snippingprogressive
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have been snippingperfect progressive
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has been snippingperfect progressive
Past
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snippedsimple
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had snippedperfect
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was snippingprogressive
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were snippingprogressive
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had been snippingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of snip
1550–60; origin uncertain; compare Dutch, Low German snippen to snip, catch, clip
Explanation
To snip is to cut with short, quick strokes, the way you'd snip your bangs in the mirror, or snip off a loose thread hanging from your jacket. A gardener snips dead blooms from a plant so new ones can grow, and a dog groomer carefully snips the hair covering your terrier's face so she can see where she's going. Snip is also a noun: "I saved a snip of the baby's hair to put in your scrapbook." The noun came first, initially meaning "a small piece of cut out cloth." In the 16th century, it was also a common nickname for a tailor.
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:
Yet De Beers and other established firms have cashed in on those industry changes too, producing their own lab-grown versions at a snip of the price one would pay for natural diamonds.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
They are quick to snip losses and quick to take profits.
From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026
Artichoke Potato Salad, on the other hand, is ladies luncheon, serve in a pretty bowl, snip some fresh dill, bring on the flavor, bring on the texture, pizzaz-y potato salad.
From Salon ● May 9, 2024
In her landmark 1964 performance “Cut Piece,” she gave gallery visitors scissors and invited them to snip away at her clothes.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2024
He got out a pair of scissors and was about to snip it off, when he noticed what an unusual and incredible knot it was.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
With a few snips of her scissors, a plain whiteboard rag transforms into three strips of cloth perfect for braiding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Between snips, stylist Mel Sharpe reflects on the game.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2025
Rpn11 snips off these tags, enabling the misfolded protein to slip into the proteasome core for disassembly.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2024
The sheep lies down, calm, as Begay pulls up a section and snips deftly with even strokes.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023
To assess his hair color, the man snips a lock of hair from Werner’s head and compares it to thirty or so other locks clipped to a board, arrayed darkest to lightest.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
This may have been the most overt art-as-protest moment, showing dancers climbing sparking electrical poles, only to fall off and dangle by what looked like snipped wires.
From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2026
Your brain snipped out and inserted details without your conscious knowledge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 27, 2025
When Mrs Gibbs' operation happened in March 2024, Mr Lamah mistakenly snipped her bowel, causing internal bleeding not spotted for hours.
From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2025
Perhaps you feel sad that the life of your placenta was cut short, snipped from existence.
From Slate ● Sep. 7, 2024
There were leather skins hanging up, which had been snipped about as pieces were cut out of them for jesses, hoods or leashes.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
They then lug heavy loads back home, spreading the seaweed out on the ground and snipping off residue.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
"But if we can do gene therapy that doesn't involve snipping DNA strands, then we avoid these potential pitfalls."
From Science Daily ● Jan. 5, 2026
Toni Yoakam, who founded the World Wide Weight Pull Organization, recalls the owner of a 3.5-pound miniature poodle snipping pompoms off her pooch’s feet and ears to get her to 3 pounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
Calder, the top flight's chief growth officer, is the man snipping the competition's name to simply 'the Prem' for next season.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2025
Uri pulled down the hatch, snipping off the daylight, then he flipped a switch and a bare lightbulb burned among the cobwebs in the ceiling.
From "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli
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.
