Snapped

How to spell snapped

7 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce snapped

What does snapped mean?

1. verbBroke, cracked, or gave way suddenly with a sharp sound or movement.
2. verbSpoke to someone in a sudden, irritated, or angry tone.
3. verbTook a quick, informal photograph of something or someone.

Snapped in a sentence

• The dry twig snapped under his boot.

• Exhausted after the long shift, she snapped at her colleague over nothing.

• The tourist snapped the sunset before the colours faded.

• The tension on the cable grew until it finally snapped.

• He snapped a curt reply and hung up the phone.

• A passer-by snapped the celebrity leaving the restaurant.

Where does snapped come from?

Language of origin: Dutch

The base verb 'snap' came into English in the late 1400s and 1500s from Dutch or Low German 'snappen', which meant 'to seize, bite at, or grab suddenly'. The word was probably imitative in origin, echoing the short, sharp sound of jaws or fingers coming together quickly. From the idea of a sudden bite the sense widened to any abrupt breaking, closing, or sharp movement, and later to speaking sharply at someone or taking a quick photograph. The past tense 'snapped' simply adds the regular '-ed' ending, but because the verb ends in a single vowel plus a single consonant, that final 'p' must be doubled before the suffix; this doubling rule is the only real spelling point in the word. Relatives of the same Germanic family include 'snip' and 'snatch', all carrying that quick, abrupt quality.

How the word is built

• snap (root)
• -p- (doubled consonant)
• -ed (past tense suffix)