What does snookered mean?
“Snookered” means blocked, trapped, or badly hindered, with the implication that progress has been made difficult or impossible. It originally refers to a player in snooker or billiards whose cue ball cannot be struck directly, and it has extended figuratively to describe traffic, crowds, machinery, and plans that leave someone stuck. The word is especially common in British English and often has an informal, vivid quality: a vehicle may be “completely snookered” in a narrow street, while a person may feel “snookered” by regulations or practical difficulties. It is useful because it conveys not merely inconvenience but a situation in which the usual route or course of action has been obstructed.
adjectivePrevented from moving or making progress by an obstruction; badly hindered. In snooker and billiards, it also means unable to make a shot because the cue ball is blocked.
- Prevented from moving, proceeding, or achieving a goal by an obstruction or difficulty.
- In snooker or billiards, unable to make a direct shot because the cue ball is blocked.
- Badly placed or trapped in a difficult situation, especially one in which progress is limited.
"The sudden arrival of delivery vehicles left the narrow street completely snookered."
"A fallen tree left the farmers snookered when it blocked the only road into their fields."
"The player was snookered after the incoming ball came to rest directly behind the red."
From the world of snooker, “snookered” grew into a vivid description for anything that leaves you completely stuck.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does snookered come from?
The word comes from “snooker,” the name of the cue-sport in which a player may leave the cue ball in a position that prevents a direct shot. The application of “snookered” to being obstructed or stuck in a general sense developed from that sporting usage. The deeper origin of “snooker” is uncertain, although it is often connected with older British and Scottish uses of “snook” meaning to take unfair advantage or obtain an advantage by stealth.
Related word forms
How snookered is actually used
The adjective is especially common in British English and is often informal or conversational. It can describe physical obstruction as well as broader figurative impediments, such as being unable to leave a car park or complete a task.
Easily confused with snookered
“Snooker” is the game or a shot in that game, while “snookered” describes someone or something that is blocked, hindered, or unable to move.