# snap to attention

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/snap-to-attention
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of stand at attention.

## Examples

- The soldiers snap to attention when the general enters the room.
- As soon as the teacher walked into the noisy classroom, the students snapped to attention and sat in silence.
- The guards snapped to attention with mechanical precision the moment the royal carriage appeared at the palace gates.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.