First Known Use: 1906
Dictionary
snarky
adjective \ˈsnär-kē\
Definition of SNARKY
2
: sarcastic, impertinent, or irreverent in tone or manner <snarky lyrics>
— snark·i·ly \-kə-lē\ adverb
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Examples of SNARKY
- The writer at No. 10, Fred Mustard Stewart, died last February at 74. His obituary in The Guardian contained this snarky observation: “Year in, year out, the 600-page mark did not daunt him.” —Dwight Garner, New York Times Book Review, 24 Feb. 2008
- Edwards says his notorious $400 haircut and his 28,000-square-foot house are the obsessions of the media, not “normal voters.” (He does have a snarkier press corps than RFK. Not only did reporters not criticize the size of Kennedy's Virginia mansion, they wrote fawning prose about the senator in the hopes of scoring an invitation.) —Jonathan Darman, Newsweek, 30 July 2007
- If your coworker confronts you, admit you were wrong. But don't overexplain your snarky comment—she may get angrier. —Margaret Magnarelli, Glamour, April 2002
- Even when he pays someone a compliment, it comes out snarky; recently Valentine said he thought Atlanta's Bobby Cox should be named National League Manager of the Year “because he's had to manage this year.” It doesn't matter that until Monday, Valentine managed 1,703 games without making the playoffs. —S. L. Price, Sports Illustrated, 11 Oct. 1999
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Origin of SNARKY
dialect snark to annoy, perhaps alteration of nark to irritate
Related to SNARKY
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