# snap up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/snap-up
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to buy or take something very quickly because it is a great deal or exactly what you want.

For teachers: to acquire something immediately and eagerly, typically because the item is in short supply or offered at a competitive price. Transitive and often used in the context of commercial transactions or recruitment.

## Examples

- Shoppers snap up the best deals within minutes.
- As soon as the tickets went on sale, fans snapped them up, and the concert sold out in seconds.
- The tech giant was quick to snap up the promising startup before any of its competitors could even submit a formal bid.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The tickets were snapped up them quickly." but "The tickets were snapped up quickly." — in passive voice, the object 'tickets' moves to the subject position, so the pronoun 'them' must be removed.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a physical object or a person (like a talented employee) as its direct object.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'buy' to show the speed and eagerness involved; the verb 'snap' mimics the sound of a quick, sharp movement, helping students visualize the speed of the action.

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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.