Snippy means speaking in a short, sharp way that sounds irritated or rude. When someone gives you a snippy answer, their words might be brief and correct, but their tone makes it clear they're annoyed.

Imagine asking your older sister where she put your soccer ball, and she snaps back, “In the garage, obviously.” The words themselves are helpful, but the way she says them, with that edge in her voice, makes you feel like you've bothered her. That's being snippy.

People often get snippy when they're tired, stressed, or feeling rushed. A teacher might get snippy after answering the same question five times, or you might catch yourself being snippy with a younger sibling when you're trying to finish homework. Snippiness comes through in clipped sentences and an impatient tone.

Being snippy is different from actually insulting someone. A snippy response isn't meant to deeply hurt anyone, but it definitely stings a little. It's like the verbal equivalent of slamming a door: not completely hostile, but not friendly either.