Word
snag
US/ˈsnæɡ/
UK/snˈæɡ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small, unexpected problem or difficulty that stops you from finishing something easily. It can also mean a sharp part of something that catches and tears your clothes.
n. an unexpected or hidden obstacle or drawback; also refers to a sharp or jagged projection that catches on fabric. Often used to describe minor complications in a plan.
Examples
“We hit a snag with the travel plans this morning.”
“The contract was ready to be signed until a legal snag regarding the property boundaries delayed the process.”
“While the initial software rollout appeared successful, the development team soon encountered a technical snag that prevented users from syncing their data across multiple mobile devices.”
Examples
simple
“We hit a snag with the travel plans this morning.”
contextual
“The contract was ready to be signed until a legal snag regarding the property boundaries delayed the process.”
complex
“While the initial software rollout appeared successful, the development team soon encountered a technical snag that prevented users from syncing their data across multiple mobile devices.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'hit', 'encounter', or 'run into'.
Real-World Examples
“They replace phones that still work , furniture with a scratch and sweaters with a small snag.” “Most faults, with figures varying 70-80% depending on where you are in the world, relate to accidental human activities like the dropping of anchors or dragging of trawler boat nets, which snag on the cables, says Stephen Holden, head of maintenance for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Global Marine, a subsea engineering firm who respond to subsea cable repairs.” “Trump's push for the world's lowest drug prices hits snag with mid-sized companies” “Kelly Skidmore says he typically reveals 60 to 80 snags per house he inspects” Etymology
From earlier snag (“stump or branch of a tree”), from Middle English snagge, snage, from Old Norse snagi (“clothes peg”) (compare Old Norse snag-hyrndr (“snag-horned, having jagged corners”)), perhaps ultimately from a derivative of Proto-Germanic snakk-, snēgg, variations of *snakaną (“to crawl, creep, wind about”). Compare Norwegian snag, snage (“protrusion; projecting point”), Icelandic snagi (“peg”). Also see Dutch snoek (“pike”).
The Australian National Dictionary Centre suggests that snag as slang for "sausage" most likely derives from the earlier British slang for "light meal", although it makes no comment on how it came to be specifically applied to sausages.Meanings and origins of Australian words and idioms The word's use in football slang originates as a shortening of "sausage roll", rhyming slang for "goal", to sausage, and hence, by synonymy, snag.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. hit a snag
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/snag