Word
snub
US/ˈsnəb/
UK/snˈʌb/
Definitions
01to ignore someone
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to ignore someone on purpose or treat them coldly to show you are angry or think they are not important.
v. to treat with contempt or neglect by ignoring or behaving coldly toward someone. Transitive; requires a direct object.
“She felt hurt when her former friends snubbed her at the party.”
“The veteran diplomat felt publicly snubbed when he was not invited to the high-level briefing despite his decades of expertise in the region.”
Synonyms
02to reject or dismiss
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to refuse to accept an invitation or an idea in a way that seems a bit rude.
v. to reject or dismiss an offer, invitation, or suggestion in a pointed or insulting manner.
“The company snubbed the takeover offer, calling it far too low.”
“The committee snubbed the proposed reforms, opting instead to maintain the status quo despite growing pressure from the public.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03an insult
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. an act of ignoring someone or treating them as if they have no value.
n. a deliberate affront, slight, or act of social rejection.
“It was a real snub when they didn't mention his hard work in the speech.”
“The absence of the prime minister at the opening ceremony was widely interpreted by the press as a calculated diplomatic snub.”
Antonyms
04short and turned up
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. short and flat, usually describing a person's nose that turns up at the end.
adj. short and broad, specifically referring to a nose that is slightly turned up at the tip.
“The child had a cute snub nose and bright blue eyes.”
“The portrait captured the subject's distinctive snub nose and high cheekbones with remarkable precision.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
05geometry
C2 · Proficiency Mathematics Technical
adj. a special shape in math made by adding extra triangles to a simpler shape.
adj. describing a polyhedron derived from a simpler form by the process of snubbing, which involves adding extra triangular faces.
“The snub cube is a beautiful shape with thirty-eight faces.”
“In Archimedean geometry, the snub dodecahedron is a chiral solid that possesses sixty vertices and ninety-two faces.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“But opposition voices expressed their disapproval over the meeting, viewing it as a snub of their calls – that the US has previously endorsed – for swift elections.” “Not many musicians would snub a chance to work with Elvis Presley.” Etymology
From Middle English snubben (also snibben), from Old Norse snubba (“to curse, chide, snub, scold, reprove”), which, like the source of English snip, is probably imitative in some manner. Cognate with Danish snibbe, dialectal Swedish snebba.
From Middle English snubben, snobben (“to sob”). Compare Dutch snuiven (“to snort, to pant”), German schnauben, German dialect schnupfen (“to sob”), and English snuff (transitive verb).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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