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to snap

to snap

151 4.0
Say something quickly and angrily after losing control
  • verb
  • /snæp/
translation icon : responder bruscamente
  • "For once Levi didn't snap at Carrie and tell her she was dumb.
  • snap back at someone

Well, maybe she doesn't want you to snap and hurt her kids.

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Examples

  • Come on, snap out of it.

  • She snapped at him when he interrupted her during the meeting.

  • What made me snap was what she said next.

  • Oh, better not snap under the pressure like I did.

  • Try and snap out of it.

  • Snap out of it now!

  • You better snap out of it soon, kid, 'cause we're going after Adrian tomorrow bright and early.

  • And I was trying to be supportive, and she like snapped at me.

  • One teacher I know, when feeling stressed by his workload, snapped at his students with comments about his low pay.

    Academic text (2005)
  • "What really happened," Coll snapped angrily, "is that you caught me, but Par escaped!"

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

to lose it
vsto snap
  • Informal
289 7.5

Suddenly stop controlling your feelings and become very angry or upset

is like losing control but usually involves a sharp spoken or acted moment
to explode
vsto snap
187 3.5

To suddenly show a strong feeling, often anger

is similar but focuses on sharpness and loss of control in speech or action
to flip
vsto snap
  • Informal
143 7.5

To suddenly become very angry, excited, or surprised

is similar but specifically means a quick sharp speaking or acting out
to lash out
vsto snap
71 5.6

Suddenly say angry things about someone by speaking or writing

can be sudden and sharp but is not limited to attacking speech
to go ballistic
vsto snap
  • Informal
22 7.5

Suddenly become very angry

shares intensity but can be shorter and sharper in action or speech
to snarl
vsto snap
21 5.8

To say something in an angry, sharp voice

is similar but can be an action as well as speech
to blow up
vsto snap
  • Informal
16 4.7

To suddenly become very angry and lose control

is similar but often refers to a quick sharp speech or action
to have a fit
vsto snap
  • Informal
16 5.3

To suddenly become very angry or upset and show it strongly

is akin but often denotes a quicker sharp reaction rather than prolonged upset
to spit out
vsto snap
  • Informal
15 4.4

To say words quickly and angrily to show dislike

covers quick sharp speech but also sudden physical reactions
to throw a fit
vsto snap
  • Informal
12 6.1

To suddenly become very angry or upset in a loud, obvious way

is similar but tends to be briefer and sharper rather than dramatic
to fly off the handle
vsto snap
  • Informal
11 6.8

To suddenly become very angry

is like this but often focuses on a quick sharp verbal or physical act
to burst out
vsto snap
9 3.3

Suddenly say something or make a loud sound

is mainly sudden and sharp often tied to anger or loss of control
to boil over
vsto snap
  • Informal
7 4.8

To suddenly lose control and show strong anger

is similar but usually describes a single sharp act or utterance
to blow one's stack
vsto snap
  • Informal
2 8.6

Suddenly get very angry and show it

is similar but can be less extreme and more brief in form
to pop off
vsto snap
  • Informal
1 8.1

To suddenly say something angry without warning

focuses on sudden sharp speech or action rather than surprise
to blow a fuse
vsto snap
  • Informal
1 7.4

To suddenly become very angry

is similar but often highlights sharp speech or quick acting out
to go off on one
vsto snap
  • UK
1 9.9

To suddenly get very angry and speak loudly for a long time

is sudden and sharp but usually shorter rather than prolonged
to flip shit
vsto snap
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To suddenly become very angry

is similar but can be less vulgar and used more broadly
to snap someone's head off
vsto snap
  • Offensive
8.0

To speak to someone in a sudden angry way without good reason

speaks or acts suddenly and sharply but not always at another person
to bite out
vsto snap
  • Informal
7.5

Say something suddenly and sharply when angry or annoyed

is like this but may be a sudden action, not only words
to lose one's cool
vsto snap
  • Informal
5.9

To suddenly become very angry and fail to control your feelings

is similar but often implies a single sudden sharp reaction
to blow one's top
vsto snap
  • Informal
8.0

To suddenly become very angry

matches sudden loss but emphasizes a sharp spoken or acted moment
to flip the bitch switch
vsto snap
  • Offensive
9.9

To suddenly become very angry and behave in a mean way

is similar but usually expressed without the strong vulgar tone

Antonyms

87 4.2

Choose not to do something you want to do

Idioms

in a snap
  • Informal
3 3.0

It happens very quickly with little effort

Happens very quickly

To speak to someone in a sudden angry way without good reason

Phrasal Verbs

22 4.3

Bite quickly with a short, sharp movement of the mouth

14 3.7

Buy something quickly before other people do

9 3.5

To break a piece from something with a quick, sharp movement

to snap back
  • Informal
5 3.8

Get better quickly after a setback or illness

Compounds

snap judgment
  • Informal
7 4.8

A quick decision made without careful thought that may be unfair

6 3.2

A short sudden time of very cold weather that is colder than usual

3 3.3

A pea with crisp pods you eat whole

2 2.3

A small crisp round cookie with ginger and warm spices

A sweet pea with a crisp round pod that you can eat whole, raw or cooked

1 2.7

A tender green bean you eat young that breaks easily and has no strings

1 8.8

The edge of a hat that can be turned up on one side and down on the other

1 8.2

A quick picture taken to show a happy moment

snap fastener
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A small thing on clothes or bags that joins two pieces by pressing two round parts together

snap line
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A string with chalk on it that you stretch and snap to mark a straight line

A hat with a brim you can turn up or down

snap roll
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A very quick, complete rotation of a plane around its nose-to-tail line while flying straight

1 9.1

Short lively talk where people answer each other quickly

8.6

A large willow tree with stiff branches that break easily

snap ring
  • Specialized
6.0

A metal loop with a spring clip for quickly attaching rope or gear

A quick, funny talk where people tease each other playfully

How Harsh

to shout
644 1.0
to snap
151 4.0
to retort
19 6.4
to say
1.0
mutter
18 4.4

Surface Forms

snap infinitive
snapped past
snapped past participle
snapping present participle
snaps third person singular

Etymology

Snap is like a short, sharp noise, and by that idea it came to mean speaking or acting suddenly and sharply, because such words feel quick and cutting like a 'snap'.