snooker
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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snookers,
present (3rd person singular)
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snookered,
past participle, past
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snookering
present participle
noun
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a game played on a billiard table with 15 red balls, six balls of other colours, and a white cue ball. The object is to pot the balls in a certain order
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a shot in which the cue ball is left in a position such that another ball blocks the object ball. The opponent is then usually forced to play the cue ball off a cushion
verb
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to leave (an opponent) in an unfavourable position by playing a snooker
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to place (someone) in a difficult situation
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(often passive) to thwart; defeat
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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snookersimple
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snookerssimple
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have snookeredperfect
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has snookeredperfect
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am snookeringprogressive
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are snookeringprogressive
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is snookeringprogressive
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have been snookeringperfect progressive
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has been snookeringperfect progressive
Past
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snookeredsimple
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had snookeredperfect
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was snookeringprogressive
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were snookeringprogressive
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had been snookeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of snooker
First recorded in 1885–90; origin uncertain
Vocabulary lists containing snooker
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:
It means that China has the leading two players in the rankings for the first time, further illustrating the country's position as a snooker superpower.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
"He used to come over and play snooker with me. He texted me not so long ago."
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
People living near the snooker and pool club had mixed feelings about the mural.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Barry is the founder and president of Matchroom Sport, one of the leading promoters in boxing, darts and snooker, while his son Eddie is chairman of the organisation.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
Alex half expected the snooker table to rise out of the floor, but instead, on every wall, a panel slid up to reveal floor-to-ceiling television screens that immediately flickered into life.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
Steve Clarke needs snookers to make the path smoother as a result.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2024
A tense finish saw Trump make a 58 but then foul and leave a free ball with Day chasing snookers.
From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2023
With three episodes left, it seems odd that the writers devised a tale in which Saul snookers a mall cop with an oversized pastry.
From New York Times ● Jul. 25, 2022
We can be heard trying to shush them, and will continue to do so until the other teams need snookers.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 26, 2017
McIlroy’s 75 – including 37 putts – leaves him nine adrift and needing Sunday snookers.
From The Guardian ● May 14, 2016
Much of the debate on this topic has stirred fears that individual investors will be snookered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
He insisted the banks that James alleges were snookered with lofty valuations suffered no harm, got paid in his deals and “to this day have no complaints.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2023
The alleged victims in the Holmes case, on the other hand, are less sympathetic — wealthy investors who were seemingly snookered due to their own arrogance and poor character judgment.
From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2021
Really candidly, in this rural community, I’ve been snookered by some people who basically say they’re doing good and they’re not.
From Washington Times ● May 9, 2021
“Okay, so the authorities are being snookered by these hidden messages. But how could they resist the facts? Show them your Receiver gizmo, Mr. Benedict. They’ll have to believe you.”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
Leading 5-2, Murphy knocked in 15 reds and 15 blacks to reach 120 with only the colours remaining but ended up snookering himself behind the blue and the chance was lost.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025
But the crypto implosion at least has a cleansing benefit: It offers an opportunity to mop up a speculative and overhyped mess that has gotten badly out of control, snookering gullible investors in the process.
From Washington Post ● May 20, 2022
David Hampton posed as the son of Sidney Poitier, snookering high-caste Manhattan.
From New York Times ● Sep. 17, 2011
But in seeking position on the green he needed to take the white around the table but lost position, snookering himself.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 17, 2010
But, as in any case of cloak-and-dagger, it's sometimes hard to tell exactly who's snookering whom.
From Time Magazine Archive
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.
