1
: a concealed or unexpected difficulty or obstacle
2
a
: an irregularity that suggests the result of tearing
especially
: a pulled thread in fabric
a snag in her stocking
b
: a jagged tear made by or as if by catching on a snag
3
: a rough sharp or jagged projecting part : protuberance: such as
a
: a projecting tooth
also
: a stump of a tooth
b
: one of the secondary branches of an antler
4
a
: a standing dead tree
b
: a tree or branch embedded in a lake or stream bed and constituting a hazard to navigation
snagged; snagging
1
a
: to catch and usually damage on or as if on a snag
b
: to halt or impede as if by catching on a snag
2
: to catch or obtain usually by quick action or good fortune
3
: to hew, trim, or cut roughly or jaggedly
4
: to clear (something, such as a river) of snags
Synonyms
Examples of snag in a Sentence
Noun
I caught my sleeve on a snag and tore it.
My sweater has a snag where I caught it on a nail.
Verb
I snagged my favorite sweater on a nail.
The shortstop snagged the grounder.
The police snagged the suspect as he was trying to run away.
I managed to snag the information I needed from the Internet.
Can I snag a ride from you?
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
But there have been snags, such as the MLS bid that fell apart during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for snag 
Noun
The palm is dipped in a nitrile coating to provide resistance to snags, cuts, and abrasions.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
But there have been snags, such as the MLS bid that fell apart during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for snag
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Snag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snag. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
snag
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a tree or branch when stuck underwater and not visible from the surface
b
: a standing dead tree
2
: an uneven or broken part sticking out from a smooth surface
caught my sweater on a snag
3
: a concealed or unexpected difficulty
our plans hit a snag
snag
2 of 2 verb
snagged; snagging
: to catch on or as if on a snag
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