snatch Meaning & Definition
What Does Snatch Mean?
Snatch is a verb that means To grasp and remove quickly. It is also used to mean To attempt to seize something suddenly. As a noun, it means A quick grab or catch.
Snatch at a Glance
| Part of speech | verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //snæt͡ʃ// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | snap, catch and grab |
| Plural | snatches |
| Verb forms | snatches, snatching, snatched |
Snatch Definition (Verb)
- To grasp and remove quickly.
He snatched up the phone.
- To attempt to seize something suddenly.
to snatch at a rope
- To take or seize hastily, abruptly, or without permission or ceremony.
to snatch a kiss
- To steal.
Someone has just snatched my purse!
- To take (a victory) at the last moment.
- To do something quickly in the limited time available.
He snatched a sandwich before catching the train.
Snatch as a Noun
- A quick grab or catch.
The leftfielder makes a nice snatch to end the inning.
- A short period.
- A competitive weightlifting event in which a barbell is lifted from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement.
- A piece of some sound, usually music or conversation.
I heard a snatch of Mozart as I passed the open window.
- The vulva.
- Rapid, uncommanded jerking or oscillation of the ailerons of some aircraft at high Mach numbers, resulting from shock wave formation at transonic speeds.
- A brief period of exertion.
- A catching of the voice.
- A hasty snack; a bite to eat.
- A quibble.
Verb
- (by extension) To take (a victory) at the last moment.
Synonyms of Snatch
Snatch synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Snatch
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Snatch in a Sentence
He snatched up the phone.
She snatched the letter out of the secretary's hand.
to snatch at a rope
to snatch a kiss
Someone has just snatched my purse!
He snatched a sandwich before catching the train.
He snatched a glimpse of her while her mother had her back turned.
The leftfielder makes a nice snatch to end the inning.
I heard a snatch of Mozart as I passed the open window.
Word Forms & Grammar
snatch (third-person singular simple present snatches, present participle snatching, simple past and past participle snatched)
snatch (plural snatches)
Words That Rhyme With Snatch
Origin of Snatch
Origin 1: From Middle English snacchen, snecchen (“to snap; seize”), from Old English *snæċċan, *sneċċan, from Proto-West Germanic *snakkjan, from Proto-Germanic *snakjaną (“to whiff, sniff, catch wind of; to taste-test, nibble”), related to Proto-Germanic *snakōną (“to breathe, blow, sigh”) and *snakkōną (“to blather, jabber, chatter”).
Origin 2: Cognate with Middle Dutch snacken (“to snap [of a dog]”), Norwegian Nynorsk snaka (“to snatch [of animals]”). Related also to Dutch snakken (“to sob, pant, long for”), Low German snacken (“to chatter”), German schnacken (“to chat”), Danish snakke (“to chat”) and Norwegian snakke (“to chat”). Related to snack.
How to Pronounce Snatch
The standard pronunciation of snatch is //snæt͡ʃ//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Snatch: Your Questions Answered
Is snatch a verb or a noun?
Snatch is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.
What is another word for snatch?
You can replace snatch with words such as snap, catch and grab. See the full list of snatch synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of snatch?
The plural of snatch is snatches.
What is the past tense of snatch?
The past tense of snatch is snatched. The present participle is snatching.