snipe

1 of 2

noun

ˈsnīp How to pronounce snipe (audio)
plural snipes
Synonyms of snipenext
1
or plural snipe : any of various usually slender-billed birds of the sandpiper family
especially : any of several game birds (especially genus Gallinago) especially of marshy areas
2
: a contemptible person

snipe

2 of 2

verb

sniped; sniping

intransitive verb

1
: to shoot at exposed individuals (as of an enemy's forces) from a usually concealed point of vantage
2
: to aim a carping or snide attack
sniper noun

Examples of snipe in a Sentence

Verb Enemy fighters sniped at them from vacant buildings. One of the senators sniped, “What does he think this is, a monarchy?”.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Just two months later, several thousand Singaporeans reportedly joined a Telegram channel in an attempt to stream snipe iShowSpeed during his tour of Southeast Asia. — Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025 During a tour of the surrounding salt marshes, visitors can view Wilson’s snipes and belted kingfishers scanning the water for prey, while the park’s forests are perfect for spotting passerines like the common yellowthroat, American redstart and northern cardinal. — Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
Just 57 seconds later, Lincoln Hennessey sniped a shot in transition to push things back to 4-1, and his team wasn’t quite finished. — Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2025 The group had been sniping at Lara ever since his election, accusing him of taking campaign money from insurers and not aggressively overseeing their operations. — Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for snipe

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse snīpa snipe; akin to Old High German snepfa snipe

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of snipe was in the 14th century

Rhymes for snipe

See All Rhymes for snipe

Browse Nearby Words

snip
snipe
snipe eel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Snipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snipe. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

snipe

1 of 2 noun
ˈsnīp How to pronounce snipe (audio)
plural snipes or snipe
: any of several birds that have a long slender bill, live mostly in marshy areas, and are related to the sandpipers

snipe

2 of 2 verb
sniped; sniping
1
: to shoot at exposed individuals of an enemy's forces from a usually concealed point
2
: to attack with unfair or cutting remarks
sniper noun

More from Merriam-Webster on snipe

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for snipe

Nglish: Translation of snipe for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snipe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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