snafu

1 of 3

noun

sna·​fu sna-ˈfü How to pronounce snafu (audio)
ˈsna-ˌfü
: a situation marked by errors or confusion : muddle
also : an error causing such a situation
a scheduling snafu

snafu

2 of 3

adjective

: snarled or stalled in confusion : awry

snafu

3 of 3

verb

snafued; snafuing; snafus

transitive verb

: to bring into a state of confusion

Examples of snafu in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The town ran into a snafu last year when a batch of permits ended up stuck for days in a Chicagoland post office. Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025 Rather than addressing administrative snafus with a scalpel, DOGE risks creating constitutional ones with its axe. Thomas J. Greitens, Scientific American, 7 Jan. 2025 And the snafus with the Teleprompter (poor Ariana DeBose) didn’t make the situation any better. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025 In Erie County, which is a swing county, could be very important, the local vendor that provided the mail-in ballots had some significant snafus and thousands possibly of ballots, either arrived at the wrong addresses or didn't arrive at all. ABC News, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for snafu 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

situation normal all fucked up (fouled up)

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1942, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snafu was circa 1941

Dictionary Entries Near snafu

Cite this Entry

“Snafu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snafu. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

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