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
-
snubs
plural
-
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
-
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
-
snubsimple
-
snubssimple
-
have snubbedperfect
-
has snubbedperfect
-
am snubbingprogressive
-
are snubbingprogressive
-
is snubbingprogressive
-
have been snubbingperfect progressive
-
has been snubbingperfect progressive
Past
-
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:
Writing on X he added: "Fly in, fly out, no contact. I'm sure the Aussies feel great about that snub."
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
He was forced to use the plane's own staircase, only to step out onto the tarmac rather than a red carpet, prompting speculation of a snub.
From Barron's ● May 15, 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
The snub was hard to miss: Brazil’s president had received the full red-carpeted staircase treatment at the same airport a day earlier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
Not exactly beautiful, but her blue eyes and pert snub nose gave her a catlike quality that contrasted with her robust, athletic movements.
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
After past snubs, social-media site Reddit has landed a spot on the S&P 500, sending shares on an after-hours rally Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
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
But there will always be snubs, surprises and heated debates within the nominations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2025
The music made up for everything— the silent contempt of the servants, Steven’s and Emilia’s snubs, Tom’s hatred.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
McMullen snubbed the offer and never formally discussed it with the Kroger board, the filing said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
We talked about it again last December, after she had been hurt by being snubbed over the holidays.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026
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
“Tides” received seven nominations in 1992, but Streisand’s directing was snubbed despite a Directors Guild of America nomination.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
He smiled at Harry, who understood that he was not being snubbed, and that he had permission to keep asking questions.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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
Delta Air Lines is planning to add Amazon’s planned satellite-internet services to hundreds of aircraft, snubbing Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has so far seen significant momentum in this market.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 31, 2026
Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank said on Monday that Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence have apologised for snubbing their manager and heading down the tunnel after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2025
As his players were booed off pitch, Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence were caught on camera snubbing their manager and going straight down the tunnel.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2025
They attached the line with which they had been snubbing the boat to Buck’s neck and shoulders, being careful that it should neither strangle him nor impede his swimming, and launched him into the stream.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
