Standard Lemma guide

snappy

adj · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈsnæpi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æpi
  • CMU ARPABET: S N AE1 P IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Rapid and without delay.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • a snappy response
  • Make it snappy!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fast, immediate, quick

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Irritable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • You're snappy this morning; did you not sleep well?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: peevish, testy, tetchy

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Tidy; well-dressed; sharp.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • Here he is, looking snappy in his brand-new suit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Chilly, brisk, sharp.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • snappy weather; snappy pace; snappy rejoinder

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nippy, parky

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Tending to snap or bite.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a snappy dog

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Clever, catchy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a snappy motto

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

quick and energetic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a brisk walk in the park
  • a lively gait
  • a merry chase
  • traveling at a rattling rate
  • a snappy pace
  • a spanking breeze

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: alert, brisk, lively, merry, rattling, spanking, zippy

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a dapper young man
  • a jaunty red hat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dapper, dashing, jaunty, natty, raffish, rakish, spiffy, spruce

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

apt to speak irritably

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a snappish tone of voice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: snappish

Antonyms: none provided

10

adjective satellite

Meaning 10

pleasantly cold and invigorating

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • crisp clear nights and frosty mornings
  • a nipping wind
  • a nippy fall day
  • snappy weather

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crisp, frosty, nipping, nippy

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

smart and fashionable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • snappy conversation
  • some sharp and whipping lines

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: whipping

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle Dutch snappen Dutch snappenbor. Low German snappenbor. English snap Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English snappy From snap + -y.

Across languages

Translations

42 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: бърз (bǎrz) — rapid and without delay
  • Chinese: 迅速 (xùnsù) — rapid and without delay
  • Czech: svižný — rapid and without delay
  • Czech: řízný — rapid and without delay
  • Czech: bez průtahů — rapid and without delay
  • Dutch: snel — rapid and without delay
  • Finnish: nopea — rapid and without delay
  • French: fissa — rapid and without delay
  • Irish: gasta — rapid and without delay
  • Irish: sciobtha — rapid and without delay
  • Irish: mear — rapid and without delay
  • Irish: bríomhar — rapid and without delay
  • Russian: ско́рый (skóryj) — rapid and without delay
  • Russian: бы́стрый (býstryj) — rapid and without delay
  • Scottish Gaelic: dranndanach — rapid and without delay
  • Spanish: tajante — rapid and without delay
  • Spanish: enérgico — rapid and without delay
  • Swedish: kvick — rapid and without delay
  • Bulgarian: раздразнителен (razdraznitelen) — irritable
  • Czech: nedůtklivý — irritable
  • Czech: nevrlý — irritable
  • Finnish: ärtyisä — irritable
  • Finnish: kiukkuinen — irritable
  • Irish: borb — irritable
  • Irish: cantalach — irritable
  • Irish: giorraisc — irritable
  • Irish: grod — irritable
  • Russian: раздражи́тельный (razdražítelʹnyj) — irritable
  • Scottish Gaelic: dranndanach — irritable
  • Scottish Gaelic: crosta — irritable
  • Spanish: irritable — irritable
  • Spanish: irascible — irritable
  • Spanish: iracundo — irritable
  • Spanish: tajante — irritable
  • Czech: elegantní — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Czech: šmrncovní — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Finnish: tyylikäs — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Irish: galánta — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Irish: néata — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Irish: péacach — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Irish: pioctha — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp
  • Russian: щёгольский (ščógolʹskij) — Tidy; well-dressed; sharp