snort
Americanverb (used without object)
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snorts,
present (3rd person singular)
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snorted,
past participle, past
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snorting
present participle
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(of animals) to force the breath violently through the nostrils with a loud, harsh sound.
The spirited horse snorted and shied at the train.
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(of persons) to express contempt, indignation, etc., by a similar sound.
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Slang. to take a drug by inhaling.
verb (used with object)
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snorts,
present (3rd person singular)
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snorted,
past participle, past
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snorting
present participle
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to utter with a snort.
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to expel (air, sound, etc.) by or as by snorting.
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Slang. to take (a drug) by inhaling.
to snort cocaine.
noun
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snorts
plural
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the act or sound of snorting.
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Slang. a quick drink of liquor; shot.
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Slang.
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an act or instance of taking a drug by inhalation.
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the amount of drug inhaled.
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British. snorkel.
verb
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(intr) to exhale forcibly through the nostrils, making a characteristic noise
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(intr) (of a person) to express contempt or annoyance by such an exhalation
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(tr) to utter in a contemptuous or annoyed manner
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slang to inhale (a powdered drug) through the nostrils
noun
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a forcible exhalation of air through the nostrils, esp (of persons) as a noise of contempt or annoyance
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slang an instance of snorting a drug
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Also called: snorter. slang a short drink, esp an alcoholic one
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slang the snorkel on a submarine
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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snortsimple
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snortssimple
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have snortedperfect
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has snortedperfect
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am snortingprogressive
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are snortingprogressive
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is snortingprogressive
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have been snortingperfect progressive
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has been snortingperfect progressive
Past
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snortedsimple
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had snortedperfect
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was snortingprogressive
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were snortingprogressive
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had been snortingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of snort
1325–75; Middle English snorten (v.); probably akin to snore
Explanation
A snort is a sound you make by suddenly exhaling through your nose, especially if you're disgusted by something. Your response to your little brother's tempter tantrum might be a disdainful snort. You can use the word snort as a noun or a verb — students might find it hard not to snort when they're listening to a boring and endless lecture by their vice principal. You and your friends may also snort with contempt when you're watching a really bad movie. In the fourteenth century, to snort meant to snore — it wasn't until the 1800's that snort came to mean "verbally express contempt."
Vocabulary lists containing snort
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:
With the afternoon sun beating down while the cows snort and moo, the workers inspect and clean the animals' teats, which are then attached to milking equipment.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
The writer Jia Tolentino characterized it as “what a ballerina might do if you concussed her and then made her snort caffeine pills.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2025
As he reentered the courtroom on Tuesday, Eric Trump noticed Conway and gave a dismissive smirk and a snort.
From Slate ● May 1, 2024
The pigs are surprisingly quiet, although they do snort now and then.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 29, 2024
The boar gave an ill-tempered snort and let him pass.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Hedgehogs may be communicating with more than just snuffles, grunts and snorts, according to scientists who have discovered the animal's hearing range.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
The sounds of snorts drew Zambian farmer Mkanda Nkhata, 75, out of his house one day in 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Patel’s opening statement was punctuated by a series of snorts so loud that it seemed he might soon eject a noodle from his sinus cavity.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2025
He found that every species he recorded produced some sort of sound, including quacks, bleeps, grunts, crackles, toots and snorts.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 25, 2022
Judging by his preamble of snorts and leg slaps, I figured he must have practiced this joke many times: “I tell my daughter, Hey, why be poor? Marry rich!”
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
Gaulier snorted, a rare sign of approval from the exacting clown instructor, who was known for his blunt critiques and caustic insults.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
"Well then do it, if you want to do it!" snorted Dmytro Sova, a 42-year-old actor, speaking to AFP in Kyiv.
From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026
Young described how one doctor "snorted" when she suggested she might have fibromyalgia, before she was finally diagnosed.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2024
Staring down at it Peng thought the name was fake and snorted playfully: “Are you a good man?”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 24, 2023
Grandpa snorted like Sally Gooden did when she had seen a booger.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Other symptoms include waking up a lot, loud snoring and gasping, snorting or choking.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
The Lecter character, Martin Amis said, was “on all levels, a snorting, rooting, oinking porker.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
In just two minutes, the movie had delivered everything it promised: a snorting monkey, a sucker in a flowered shirt, a shot of an ominous tire swing and a closeup of a peeled cheekbone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2026
For sleep, participants were asked about snorting, gasping or breathing pauses in their sleep.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024
He turned a sharp left and cantered around the perimeter of the field, snorting with annoyance at the trees blocking his path.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
