What does snobbish mean?
Snobbish describes someone who behaves as though their own tastes, status, education, or wealth place them above other people. The term is strongly negative and usually suggests more than simple elitism: it implies smug judgment, condescension, or a conspicuous attempt to distance oneself from people regarded as socially inferior. Snobbish behavior may appear in dismissing certain foods, clothes, professions, accents, hobbies, or places because of the status associated with them. The word can modify attitudes, remarks, behavior, and broader social attitudes, but it normally criticizes a manner of judging others rather than the preferences themselves. It is related to snobbery and snobby, though snobbish is the more established and formal term. Because snobbishness can operate openly or through subtle signals, it is especially useful when describing how social hierarchy and exclusivity are communicated in everyday interactions.
adjectiveHaving an air of superiority or smugly judging others according to social status, taste, education, or wealth.
- Exhibiting snobbery; showing smug superiority over or contempt for others.
"His snobbish attitude toward people who dressed differently made others feel unwelcome."
"The critic's snobbish dismissal of the restaurant ignored its excellent food."
"She rejected the proposal for a snobbish reason: the applicants had not attended the right school."
Snobbish doesn't merely mean having expensive tastes; it means turning those tastes into a ranking system for other people.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does snobbish come from?
Snobbish is derived from snob, whose deeper origin is uncertain. By the eighteenth century, snob was used for a person who conspicuously imitated social superiors or claimed superior taste and status. The adjective developed in the nineteenth century from this word, meaning displaying the attitudes associated with a snob. Related forms include snobbery and snobby, which preserve the same social criticism in noun and adjective form.
Related word forms
How snobbish is actually used
Generally disapproving and used for behavior, attitudes, remarks, or social outlooks. British and American usage are broadly similar; snobby is a more informal alternative.
Easily confused with snobbish
Both describe behavior associated with social snobbery, but snobbish is the more formal and established adjective, while snobby is more informal.