snippet

USAGE SUMMARY

"snippet" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe a brief extract or portion of something. For example: We watched a snippet of the movie before deciding whether to buy the DVD.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Throwing a snippet of Donna Summer's I Feel Love into the Can't Stop Feeling while singer Alex Kapranos shimmies across the stage like Sink The Pink's straightest extra and hammering through the demonic disco of Michael, Take Me Out, Love Illumination and Ulysses as if they're headlining on a tight deadline, Franz are back and fighting for it.

The Guardian - Music

A snippet: A senior editor and a Guardian computer expert used angle grinders and other household tools to pulverise the hard drives and memory chips on which the encrypted files had been stored.

The Guardian

I spent so much of Monday watching the ridiculous Broadchurch countdown banner ads that I'd managed to guess the entire plot just by parsing each decontextualised snippet for clues.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

State television, which is generally loth to give publicity to the reformists, took the trouble to film all three days of the conference, and then carefully distilled the most distasteful bits into a ten-minute snippet.

The Economist

Given a specific chemical target, a process of trial and error can identify the right type of pulse to make even the deadliest chemicals jump.The musical analogy is apt, since each laser pulse, like a snippet of music, is made up of many different frequencies.

The Economist

One of its ruses employed the ETag, a randomly generated snippet of code assigned by a web server uniquely to each item, like a file, it sends to a browser.

The Economist

Using it, a snippet of text as short as 20 characters can be assigned unerringly to the language it was written in.As a second test of the program's abilities, they used 52 versions of the document which, according to the "Guinness Book of Records", has been translated into more languages than any other in the world: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Economist

It then passes back a snippet of text that contains a unique token.

The Economist

In one poster, a grinning conservative, Ali Larijani, appears under a snippet of verse by a dissident poet whose prestige Mr Larijani, a former broadcasting boss with a bent for airing Stalinist "confessions" on the screen, helped destroy.

The Economist

There is a Donovan song on the soundtrack, and a snippet of Apollo moon-mission footage on a black-and-white television, but Ms Morley avoids all the usual "Austin Powers -style Swinging Sixties signifiers: in general, one of the most striking asPowers -stylefilm iSwingingch Sixtiesvesignifiers

The Economist

FOR those of you who missed this delicious snippet of irony on "The Colbert Report" last night, here's George Stephanopoulos in a previous life.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "snippet" in technical contexts, specify the type of snippet (e.g., code snippet, HTML snippet) for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "snippet" as a generic replacement for other more precise terms like "excerpt", "fragment", or "sample". Choose the word that best reflects the specific nature and context of the portion you are describing.

Linguistic Context

The word "snippet" functions primarily as a noun, referring to a small piece or portion of something. Ludwig provides various examples where "snippet" describes parts of songs, code, news, or conversations, supporting its nominal function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

87%

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "snippet" refers to a small piece or excerpt of something. Ludwig AI confirms that it's a correct and commonly used term, functioning primarily as a noun. With widespread use in "News & Media", "snippet" maintains a neutral register, suitable for various contexts. Related terms include "excerpt", "fragment", and "sample". When using "snippet", consider the specific context to ensure clarity and avoid overgeneralization. While versatile, precise language ensures effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excerpt

A direct synonym, implying a portion taken from a larger work.

fragment

Suggests a broken-off piece or incomplete part.

extract

Similar to excerpt, but can also refer to obtaining something.

portion

Indicates a part or share of a whole.

piece

A general term for a part of something.

bit

A small amount or part.

segment

Implies a distinct part or section.

sample

A small part intended to show what the whole is like.

clip

A short sequence taken from a longer film or video.

morsel

A small piece, often implying something desirable or interesting.

FAQs

How can I use "snippet" in a sentence?

You can use "snippet" to refer to a small piece or excerpt of something. For example: "Here's a "snippet" of code to help you get started."

What is a good alternative to the word "snippet"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "excerpt", "fragment", or "sample".

Is "snippet" formal or informal?

"Snippet" is generally considered to be a neutral term, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though it is more common in technical or casual discussions.

What is the difference between a "snippet" and an "excerpt"?

While both refer to parts of a larger whole, "snippet" often implies a smaller, less substantial piece compared to an "excerpt", which typically represents a more significant or representative portion.