whippersnapper Definition
- 1a young and inexperienced person who is presumptuous or overconfident
- 2a diminutive or insignificant person
Using whippersnapper: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "whippersnapper" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The whippersnapper thought he knew everything about the job, but he was wrong.
Example
Don't listen to that whippersnapper; he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Example
He may be a whippersnapper, but he's got some good ideas.
Example
I'm not going to let that whippersnapper talk down to me.
whippersnapper Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with whippersnapper
an elderly person who behaves in a youthful or impudent way
Example
My grandfather is quite the old whippersnapper; he still goes out dancing every weekend.
a young person who behaves in an impudent or presumptuous way
Example
That young whippersnapper thinks he knows everything, but he still has a lot to learn.
a small or insignificant person who behaves in an impudent or presumptuous way
Example
Don't let that little whippersnapper boss you around like that.
Origins of whippersnapper
from 'whip' meaning 'to strike' and 'snapper' meaning 'a small, sharp noise'
Summary: whippersnapper in Brief
'Whippersnapper' [ˈwɪpəsnæpər] refers to a young and inexperienced person who is presumptuous or overconfident, or a diminutive or insignificant person. It is often used to describe someone who behaves in an impudent or presumptuous way, as in 'Don't listen to that whippersnapper; he doesn't know what he's talking about.' 'Whippersnapper' can also be modified by adjectives like 'old,' 'young,' or 'little,' as in 'My grandfather is quite the old whippersnapper.'
