snub
Americanverb (used with object)
-
snubs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
snubbed,
past participle, past
-
snubbing
present participle
-
to treat with disdain or contempt, especially by ignoring.
- Synonyms:
- slight
-
to check or reject with a sharp rebuke or remark.
-
to check or stop suddenly (a rope or cable that is running out).
-
to check (a boat, an unbroken horse, etc.) by means of a rope or line made fast to a fixed object.
-
to pull up or stop abruptly in such a manner.
noun
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snubs
plural
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an act or instance of snubbing.
-
an affront, slight, or rebuff.
-
a sudden check given to a rope or cable running out, a moving boat, or the like.
adjective
-
(of the nose) short and turned up at the tip.
verb
-
to insult (someone) deliberately
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to stop or check the motion of (a boat, horse, etc) by taking turns of a rope or cable around a post or other fixed object
noun
-
a deliberately insulting act or remark
-
nautical
-
an elastic shock absorber attached to a mooring line
-
( as modifier )
a snub rope
-
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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snubsimple
-
snubssimple
-
have snubbedperfect
-
has snubbedperfect
-
am snubbingprogressive
-
are snubbingprogressive
-
is snubbingprogressive
-
have been snubbingperfect progressive
-
has been snubbingperfect progressive
Past
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snubbedsimple
-
had snubbedperfect
-
was snubbingprogressive
-
were snubbingprogressive
-
had been snubbingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of snub
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English snubben, from Old Norse snubba “to scold, reprimand”; cognate with Middle Low German snūben
Explanation
To snub is to ignore or refuse to acknowledge someone. If you want to snub your former best friend, you can refuse to even look at her when you pass in the hallway. When you snub someone, you deliver an insult by pretending to not even notice someone that you know. There’s an element of disdain and rejection to a snub, as if you’re too good to even acknowledge the person. As a noun, a snub is that act of cold rejection. Your former friend probably noticed the snub, and she’ll probably snub you from now on. Snub also means "very short," like the nose on a bulldog.
Vocabulary lists containing snub
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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:
Some have interpreted that as a snub to the forum, while others see it as China avoiding publicly pitting itself against the US, as the two rival powers jostle for influence in the region.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
And First Lady Melania Trump decided to stay at home, an unusual snub of such a high-level event.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
If you’ve caught yourself muttering Carlton Fisk wouldn’t have given anyone a fist bump, then Raleigh’s snub probably makes your cold heart flutter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026
But greater awareness does seem possible, notwithstanding the academy’s snub this year.
From Slate ● Mar. 13, 2026
They say: Why would she snub a nice boy like Jeff Garnet?
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
A string of perceived snubs, missed connections and canceled meetings have rocked the relationship between Beretta and Sturm Ruger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Plenty of other critical darlings from last year without the same cultural longevity received complete snubs.
From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2026
The opening category set the tone for a string of snubs and surprises, which started coming thick and fast.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026
But there will always be snubs, surprises and heated debates within the nominations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2025
He thinks of little cruelties, small slights, minor snubs.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
I’ll start over: Greetings to all you Ilya and Shane shippers, fans of “The Madison” and other loyal subjects of snubbed shows and performers who tuned in to Wednesday’s nominations announcement livestream.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, was recently snubbed from the company’s annual CEO summit and from the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, which he has attended for years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
"The invitation to the G7 does not mean that you're being snubbed if you're not invited or you're being ignored," said Ramaphosa.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026
Skeptics could argue that there’s one sure piece of evidence that God doesn’t exist: Amanda Seyfried getting snubbed for her rapturous turn as 18th century Shaker leader Ann Lee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026
She felt even more pathetic reaching out after how Poppy had snubbed her, but Seven really needed a friend right now.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
The actor’s piece, titled “Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group,” accused other group members of snubbing Tisdale French from various gatherings and group chats.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
The Indian captain would not say whether his players would shake hands after snubbing the Pakistan team in three Asia Cup meetings in Dubai last year.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
Despite snubbing Nvidia in his top five, Ives said that the chip company is still one of Wedbush’s top tech picks for next year.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 30, 2025
That's how so called phubbing - unintentionally snubbing someone in favour of your phone -creeps into everyday moments.
From BBC ● Nov. 17, 2025
I mean my mother always thought Jane and her mother were sort of snubbing her or something when they didn't say hello.
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
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.
