Meaning & use
snide
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Unkind in a sly, indirect way, usually by making a mocking comment instead of saying something openly.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: a snide remark; can follow a verb: her tone was snide.
Patterns
- a snide remark about someone
- snide comment
He made a snide remark about her accent.
I didn't like the snide comments the reporter slipped into the article.
Her snide tone made the compliment sound like an insult.
Word forms
| comparative | snider |
|---|---|
| superlative | snidest |
Common combinations
- snide remark
- A snide remark from the back of the room made her blush.
- snide comment
- He couldn't resist a snide comment about the budget.
- snide aside
- She added a snide aside in her blog post.
- snide look
- He gave his brother a snide look.
- snide tone
- The review was written in a snide tone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sarcastic
- Sarcastic means saying the opposite of what you mean to mock someone, while snide is any sly, mean dig.
- sneering
- Sneering shows open contempt, often with the face, and snide is more hinted and indirect.
- cutting
- Cutting stresses how sharply words hurt, whereas snide stresses the sly, sideways delivery.
- catty
- Catty is informal and describes spiteful gossip, usually about another person.
Opposites
Word family
- snidely adverb
- in a sly, mocking way
- snideness noun
- the quality of being snide
- snider adjective
- comparative form
Commonly confused: snide or snipe?
snide vs snipe
Snipe, as a verb, means to criticize someone in a petty way; it is related in meaning but is a verb, while snide is an adjective.
Practice
Rather than give honest feedback, he muttered a ____ comment under his breath.
Choose one answer.
A snide comment is a sly, mocking one made indirectly. Frank means open and honest, which is the opposite of muttering under your breath.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “snide”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.