What does snubbed mean?
Snubbed is the past tense and past participle of snub, a verb meaning to reject, ignore, or conspicuously fail to acknowledge someone, often in a way that is intended to wound their feelings. It is especially used for social situations, as when someone is snubbed at a party, snubbed an invitation, or snubbed out of favor. The expression commonly carries a note of deliberate contempt, although it can describe less formal social exclusion without implying hostility. In nautical and technical language, snubbed can also describe checking or shortening the movement of a rope, cable, or line. As an adjective, the related word snubby can describe a nose that is short or turned upward, but that form is less common. The word is useful in English because it names a specific form of social rejection: an acknowledgment withheld where recognition was expected.
To reject, ignore, or treat someone with contempt, especially by deliberately withholding recognition or attention.
"They snubbed him at the reception and continued speaking without him."
Often used in social contexts and generally implies a deliberate slight.
To check, restrain, or shorten the movement of a rope, cable, or line.
"He snubbed the line around the cleat to keep it from running out."
This is a specialized nautical or technical sense.
To snub someone is to refuse them courteously enough to preserve appearances, but unmistakably enough to leave them excluded.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does snubbed come from?
The verb snub comes from a northern European origin and is related to words meaning to shorten or blunt, such as the Old Norse snubba, associated with shortening or stumping a projecting part. Its modern social meaning developed from the idea of bluntly refusing or turning away from someone. The related adjective snubby and the compound snub-nose reflect the word's older association with a short or truncated form.
Related word forms
How snubbed is actually used
The word is commonly informal and usually implies a deliberate social slight rather than a simple oversight. In nautical or technical contexts, it has a more specialized meaning involving the restraint or shortening of a line.