SNOW Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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snow

1 of 2

noun

ˈsnō often attributive Synonyms of snow 1 a : precipitation in the form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air at a temperature of less than 32°F (0°C) b (1) : a descent or shower of snow crystals (2) : a mass of fallen snow crystals 2 : something resembling snow: such as a : a dessert made of stiffly beaten whites of eggs, sugar, and fruit pulp apple snow b : a usually white crystalline substance that condenses from a fluid phase as snow does ammonia snow c slang (1) : cocaine (2) : heroin d : small transient light or dark spots on a television screen snowless ˈsnō-ləs adjective

snow

2 of 2

verb

snowed ; snowing ; snows

intransitive verb

: to fall in or as snow

transitive verb

1 : to cause to fall like or as snow 2 a : to cover, shut in, or imprison with or as if with snow b : to deceive, persuade, or charm glibly 3 : to whiten like snow

Synonyms

Verb

bamboozle beguile bluff buffalo burn catch con cozen deceive delude dupe fake out fool gaff gammon gull have have on [ chiefly British ] hoax hoodwink hornswoggle humbug juggle misguide misinform mislead snooker spoof string along suck in sucker take in trick See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of snow in a Sentence

Noun Snow fell softly on the town. The mountains were blanketed with snow . She took a walk in the snow . We haven't had much snow this year. She went out to shovel the snow . Soon the warm spring sun will melt the winter snows . the snows of the Rocky Mountains A light snow was falling. Verb easily snowed by her glib talk the years had snowed his hair to a silvery white, making it difficult at first to recognize her old high school crush See More Recent Examples on the Web Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback . Noun Autonomy and ice drilling The robot developed by Hand’s team has legs that enable it to stabilize itself on various types of surfaces, from rock-hard ice to loose, soft snow . ArsTechnica , 30 May 2025 Karen Read’s defense is set to call its first witness on Friday, marking a new phase in her retrial in the killing of John O’Keefe, her off-duty Boston police officer boyfriend whose body was found buried in the snow outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts, in January 2022. Dakin Andone, CNN Money , 30 May 2025 Verb So her side was like snowing , and then my side was blue sky. Kimberly Roots, TVLine , 27 May 2025 She was snowed into her village and couldn't reach a hospital. Khwaga Ghani, NPR , 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for snow

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English snāw ; akin to Old High German snēo snow, Latin niv-, nix , Greek nipha (accusative)

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler The first known use of snow was before the 12th century See more words from the same century

Phrases Containing snow

acid snow (as) pure as the driven snow corn snow glory - of - the - snow heavy snow light snow red snow snow angel snow - blinded snow blindness snow bunting snow cone snow crab snow day snow fence snow globe snow goose snow - in - summer snow job snow leopard snow line snow - on - the - mountain snow pants snow pea snow plant snow pudding snow squall snow thrower snow tire snow tube snow tubers snow under snow - white See More

Rhymes for snow

beau beaux blow boe bro coe crow doe doh dough eau eaux See All Rhymes for snow

Browse Nearby Words

snout moth snow Snow See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to snow

Winter Vocab and Other Words for Snow

Because 200 seemed like overkill

Words of Snow and Ice Quiz

A selection of words from the chillier parts of the lexicon.

Cite this Entry

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“Snow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snow. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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Kids Definition

snow

1 of 2 noun ˈsnō 1 a : small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air b : a fall of snow crystals : a mass of snow crystals that have fallen to earth 2 : something resembling snow: as a : a dessert made of stiffly beaten egg whites, sugar, and fruit pineapple snow b slang : cocaine

snow

2 of 2 verb 1 : to fall or cause to fall in or as snow it had been snowing all day 2 : to cover, shut in, or imprison with or as if with snow we were snowed in for two days the desk was snowed under by papers 3 : to deceive, persuade, or charm with insincere or flattering talk couldn't snow her with his compliments

Medical Definition

snow

noun ˈsnō 1 : any of various congealed or crystallized substances resembling snow in appearance carbon dioxide snow 2 slang a : cocaine b : heroin

Biographical Definition

Snow

biographical name

ˈsnō C(harles) P(ercy) 1905–1980 Baron Snow English novelist and physicist

More from Merriam-Webster on snow

Nglish: Translation of snow for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snow

Last Updated: 2 Jun 2025 - Updated example sentences Love words? Need even more definitions?

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