hit a snag

verb

To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

“Their plans to finish the garden that weekend hit a snag when an unseasonal snowfall dropped several inches on what should have become the pumpkin patch that day.”

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Meanings

verbhit a snag (third-person singular simple present hits a snag, present participle hitting a snag, simple past and past participle hit a snag)

present singular third person hits a snag · participle present hitting a snag

  1. idiomaticTo encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

    Their plans to finish the garden that weekend hit a snag when an unseasonal snowfall dropped several inches on what should have become the pumpkin patch that day.

    1 more example

    Ms. Harris opted for buying hair and getting a beautician to make it into a two “forever wigs,” right for her face and head measurements. Even so, she hit several snags. When her wigs arrived, one was just too full.

    2020 September 24, Cynthia Greenlee, “Now’s the Time for Wigs. If You Can Get the Hair for Them.”, in The New York Times

Translations

Dutch op een moeilijkheid stuiten
  • op een moeilijkheid stuitento encounter an unexpected problem or delay
Finnish törmätä ongelmaan, kohdata ongelma
  • törmätä ongelmaanto encounter an unexpected problem or delay
  • kohdata ongelmato encounter an unexpected problem or delay
  • kohdata vastoinkäyminento encounter an unexpected problem or delay
French tomber sur un os
  • tomber sur un osto encounter an unexpected problem or delay
German hängenbleiben, auf Schwierigkeiten stoßen
  • hängenbleibento encounter an unexpected problem or delay
  • auf Schwierigkeiten stoßento encounter an unexpected problem or delay
Hungarian nehézségbe ütközik
  • nehézségbe ütközikto encounter an unexpected problem or delay
Spanish encontrar un problema inesperado
  • encontrar un problema inesperadoto encounter an unexpected problem or delay
Swedish stöta på patrull, stöta på problem
  • stöta på patrullto encounter an unexpected problem or delay
  • stöta på problemto encounter an unexpected problem or delay
Cite this entry
APA

hit a snag. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20a%20snag

MLA

“hit a snag.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20a%20snag. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hit a snag,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20a%20snag.

Source: hit a snag on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.