whippersnapper

noun

whip·​per·​snap·​per ˈ(h)wi-pər-ˌsna-pər How to pronounce whippersnapper (audio)
: a diminutive, insignificant, or presumptuous person

Examples of whippersnapper in a Sentence

some young whippersnapper piped up with a pointless comment
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.
And don’t worry, that handsome whippersnapper Jesse Palmer will be there to lend a sympathetic ear along the way. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 Sep. 2024 And winning against all these young whippersnappers still has this clock in shock. Michael Schneider, Variety, 9 May 2024 Old fogeys and young whippersnappers put their knowledge of trivia to the test for a second season. Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2023 The sensation is akin to being a still-fit grandpa that shows up to a family reunion that’s filled with young whippersnappers. Marco Della Cava, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2023 See all Example Sentences for whippersnapper 

Word History

Etymology

alteration of snippersnapper

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whippersnapper was in 1700

Dictionary Entries Near whippersnapper

Cite this Entry

“Whippersnapper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whippersnapper. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

whippersnapper

noun
whip·​per·​snap·​per ˈhwip-ər-ˌsnap-ər How to pronounce whippersnapper (audio)
ˈwip-
: a small, unimportant, or overly confident person

More from Merriam-Webster on whippersnapper

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

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!