1
as in barking
to speak sharply or irritably
the shopkeeper finally snapped at one customer who couldn't seem to make up his mind
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in popping
to break suddenly with an explosive sound
the fragile twig snapped in her hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in photographing
to take a photograph of
be sure to snap everything you see on your vacation, and then you can show us
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in changing
to pass from one form, state, or level to another
she abruptly snapped alert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of snapping
On a set play, Poulin — who was lined up against Kelly Pannek, one of the premier faceoff centers in the game — won the offensive zone draw clean, snapping the puck back to an awaiting Dubois.
—
Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Dorofeyev answered after taking the puck from Chris Kreider, shifting to the slot and snapping a shot past Dostal.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Prior to snapping its selfie, the rover had just finished abrading the rocky Arethusa outcrop.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 May 2026
Travelers may be tempted to just keep snapping.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
If this were an American show, the gears would already be grinding, camera angles snapping into place, and the story would be halfway to becoming gospel before anyone had time to blink.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 7 May 2026
That swing propelled the Rockies to a 6-2 win over the Mets on Thursday at Coors Field, avoiding a sweep and snapping a six-game losing streak.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
Bieber did away with the stark, black finishes, replacing everything with soft fabrics in sand and cream tones, and hanging a brand sign on a mirror in the entryway—perfect for snapping selfies with Rhode’s viral lip-balm-holding phone case.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 6 May 2026
Shohei Ohtani laced a 2-2 sweeper into the right-field corner for a double, snapping an 0-for-18 funk and sending Freeland to third.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026
Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Dorofeyev answered after taking the puck from Chris Kreider, shifting to the slot and snapping a shot past Dostal.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Prior to snapping its selfie, the rover had just finished abrading the rocky Arethusa outcrop.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 May 2026
Travelers may be tempted to just keep snapping.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
If this were an American show, the gears would already be grinding, camera angles snapping into place, and the story would be halfway to becoming gospel before anyone had time to blink.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 7 May 2026
That swing propelled the Rockies to a 6-2 win over the Mets on Thursday at Coors Field, avoiding a sweep and snapping a six-game losing streak.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
Bieber did away with the stark, black finishes, replacing everything with soft fabrics in sand and cream tones, and hanging a brand sign on a mirror in the entryway—perfect for snapping selfies with Rhode’s viral lip-balm-holding phone case.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 6 May 2026
Shohei Ohtani laced a 2-2 sweeper into the right-field corner for a double, snapping an 0-for-18 funk and sending Freeland to third.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snapping
Verb
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In the book, Turrubiate-Simpson questioned why the dogs weren't barking near the kennel right before the murders are thought to have taken place.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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But investigators eventually cracked the passcode on Paul Murdaugh’s phone and found a video with a barking dog and Alex Murdaugh’s voice admonishing it five minutes before the young man stopped using his phone.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Nearly a century ago, with many Americans in the throes of the Great Depression, catfish cabins began popping up along creeks, rivers, and bayous across the center of the rural South, particularly in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana.—
Chelsea Brasted,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
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The dual eye-popping performance was a culmination of a lifetime in the event for Witt, a season of breakthroughs for Bell, and consistent camaraderie and competition between the two long jumpers.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Verb
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By photographing a patch of sky for which previous surveys had already built up a sufficient template, Rubin was able to ping 800,000 alerts in a single night.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 May 2026
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Then be sure to check out our guide to photographing the Milky Way, along with our picks of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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On most bikes, changing classes requires a trip to a phone application or diving through menus that require you to pull over.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
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Artificial intelligence seeping into classrooms and industries, junior roles becoming more competitive and the rising cost of a diploma are changing the equation.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The tension of that spot kick, in front of thousands of snarling Rangers fans, or the prospect of lining up for his country at a largely-home-soil World Cup in a few weeks’ time.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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Gas prices are a big driver Gasoline prices have jumped sharply since the war began, snarling tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for energy shipments.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The debate comes after weeks of tense exchanges and shifting poll numbers.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Growing challenges to diverse slates Amid shifting political winds, the proliferation of diverse slate policies quickly generated backlash.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Which is why they are now broken up, and everyone is shouting that Amanda is the worst friend since Brutus, and everyone is asking Kyle about his skin-care regimen.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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Last week, the former Duke of York was reportedly out walking the Queen's corgis near the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on May 6 when a masked man wearing a balaclava, or ski mask, jumped out of his parked car and started shouting at Andrew.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Verb
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For the three legs of the Triple Crown, jockeys earn a wide range of sums to wear brand logos on their pants, typically varying from low to mid five-figures.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
15 May 2026
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Each week since the season began in August, four of us — an algorithm, a guest subscriber on rotation, Wilfred and I — have been predicting the Premier League results with varying degrees of success.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snapping. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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