To snatch means to grab something quickly and suddenly, often before anyone can stop you. When your little brother snatches a cookie off your plate, he doesn't politely ask: he just reaches out fast and takes it. A seagull might snatch a French fry right out of your hand at the beach.

The word suggests speed and often a bit of sneakiness or rudeness. You might snatch your homework back from a classmate who's trying to copy it, or snatch up the last slice of pizza before your sister can reach it. Athletes talk about snatching victory when they win at the last possible moment, turning defeat into triumph in one swift action.

Snatch can also mean to rescue or save something quickly. A parent might snatch a toddler away from a busy street, or you might snatch your phone just before it falls off the table.

Notice that snatching is different from simply taking or picking up something. When you snatch, there's urgency and quickness to the movement, like you can't afford to waste even a second.

As a noun, a snatch is a quick grab. The Olympic weightlifting snatch shows this perfectly: lifters must explosively pull the barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion, combining speed, power, and precision.