Click vs. Snap — What's the Difference?

The sound made when pressing a button or closing a latch.

To break suddenly and completely.

To select something using a computer mouse.

A quick, sharp sound made by fingers.

A short, sharp sound as of a switch being operated or of two hard objects coming smartly into contact

Used in expressions to indicate quickness.

Make or cause to make a short, sharp sound as of a switch being operated or of two hard objects coming smartly into contact

Break suddenly and completely, typically with a sharp cracking sound

Become suddenly clear or understandable

(of an animal) make a sudden audible bite

A brief, sharp sound

Suddenly lose one's self-control

A mechanical device, such as a pawl, that snaps into position.

Take a snapshot of

An instance of pressing down and releasing a button on a mouse or other input device.

Put (the ball) into play by a quick backward movement

An instance of selecting an item in a website or app by clicking or tapping on a mouse, touchscreen, or other input device.

A sudden, sharp cracking sound or movement

(Linguistics) Any of various implosive stops, such as that of English tsk, produced by raising the back of the tongue to make contact with the palate and simultaneously closing the lips or touching the teeth or alveolar ridge with the tip and sides of the tongue, and found as phonemic consonants especially in the languages of the Khoikhoi and the San, and in some Bantu languages. Also called suction stop. See Usage Note at !Kung.

A hurried, irritable tone or manner

To produce a click or series of clicks.

A snapshot

To press and release a button on a mouse or other input device.

A card game in which cards from two piles are turned over simultaneously and players call ‘snap’ as quickly as possible when two similar cards are exposed.

To select an item in a webpage or app by clicking or tapping a mouse, touchscreen, or other input device.

A sudden brief spell of cold or otherwise distinctive weather

To have good social or working relations; hit it off

Food, especially food taken to work to be eaten during a break.

To become clear; fall into place

An easy task

To be a great success

A quick backward movement of the ball from the ground that begins a play.

To cause to click, as by striking together

A small fastener on clothing, engaged by pressing its two halves together; a press stud

To press down and release (a button on an input device)

Done or taken on the spur of the moment, unexpectedly, or without notice

To press down and release a button on (an input device)

To make a brisk sharp cracking sound

To select (an item in a webpage or app) by clicking or tapping a mouse, touchscreen, or other input device

To break suddenly with a brisk, sharp, cracking sound.

A brief, sharp, not particularly loud, relatively high-pitched sound produced by the impact of something small and hard against something hard, such as by the operation of a switch, a lock, or a latch.

To give way abruptly under pressure or tension

(British) The act of making a clicking sound by pressing a finger against the thumb and then releasing to strike the palm; a snap.

To suffer a physical or mental breakdown, especially while under stress

(phonetics) An ingressive sound made by coarticulating a velar or uvular closure with another closure.

To bring the jaws briskly together, often with a clicking sound; bite.

Sound made by a dolphin.

To take up something suddenly and eagerly; snatch or grasp

The act of operating a switch, etc., so that it clicks.

To speak abruptly or sharply

(GUI) The act of pressing a button on a computer mouse or similar input device, both as a physical act and a reaction in the software.

To move swiftly and smartly

(by extension) A single instance of content on the Internet being accessed.

To flash or appear to flash light; sparkle

A pawl or similar catch.

To open, close, or fit together with a click

A knock or blow.

To snatch at with the teeth or mouth; bite

A limb contortion at the joint, part of vogue dancing.

To pull apart or break with a snapping sound.

A detent, pawl, or ratchet, such as that which catches the cogs of a ratchet wheel to prevent backward motion.

To utter abruptly or sharply

The latch of a door.

To cause to emit a snapping sound

(transitive) To cause to make a click; to operate (a switch, etc) so that it makes a click.

To close or latch with a snapping sound

(intransitive) To emit a click.

To cause to move suddenly

(British) To snap the fingers.

To take (a photograph).

(computing) To press and release (a button on a computer mouse).

To photograph

To select a software item using, usually, but not always, the pressing of a mouse button.

(Football) To pass (the ball) from the ground back between the legs to begin a down; hike.

To visit (a web site).

A sudden sharp cracking sound or the action producing such a sound.

To navigate by clicking a mouse button.

A sudden breaking.

(intransitive) To make sense suddenly.

A clasp, catch, or other fastening device that operates with a snapping sound.

(intransitive) To get along well.

A sudden attempt to bite, snatch, or grasp.

To tick.

The sound produced by rapid movement of a finger from the thumb tip to the base of the thumb.

To take (a photograph) with a camera.

The act of producing this sound.

To achieve success in one's career or a breakthrough, often the first time.

The sudden release of something held under pressure or tension.

Of a film, to be successful at the box office.

A thin, crisp, usually circular cookie

(obsolete) To snatch.

Capacity to make a snapping sound; elasticity

(US) clique

(Informal) Briskness, liveliness, or energy.

The sound of a click.

A brief spell of brisk, cold weather.

To make a slight, sharp noise (or a succession of such noises), as by gentle striking; to tick.

Something accomplished without effort.

To move with the sound of a click.

A quick breaking or cracking sound or the action of producing such a sound.

To cause to make a clicking noise, as by striking together, or against something.

A sudden break.

To snatch.

An attempt to seize, bite, attack, or grab.

A slight sharp noise, such as is made by the cocking of a pistol.

The act of snapping the fingers; making a sound by pressing a finger against the thumb and suddenly releasing to strike the hand.

A kind of articulation used by the natives of Southern Africa, consisting in a sudden withdrawal of the end or some other portion of the tongue from a part of the mouth with which it is in contact, whereby a sharp, clicking sound is produced. The sounds are four in number, and are called cerebral, palatal, dental, and lateral clicks or clucks, the latter being the noise ordinarily used in urging a horse forward.

A fastening device that makes a snapping sound when used.

A detent, pawl, or ratchet, as that which catches the cogs of a ratchet wheel to prevent backward motion. See Illust. of Ratched wheel.

(informal) A photograph; a snapshot.

The latch of a door.

The sudden release of something held under pressure or tension.

A short light metallic sound

A thin circular cookie or similar baked good.

Depression of a button on a computer mouse;

A brief, sudden period of a certain weather; used primarily in the phrase cold snap.

A stop consonant made by the suction of air into the mouth (as in Bantu)

A very short period of time (figuratively, the time taken to snap one's fingers), or a task that can be accomplished in such a period.

A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward

A snap bean such as Phaseolus vulgaris.

Move or strike with a noise;

(American football) A backward pass or handoff of a football from its position on the ground that puts the ball in play; a hike.

Make a clicking or ticking sound;

(colloquial) A rivet: a scrapbooking embellishment.

Click repeatedly or uncontrollably;

(fishing) A small device resembling a safety pin, used to attach the bait or lure to the line.

Cause to make a snapping sound;

A small meal, a snack; lunch.

Produce a click;

(uncountable) A card game, primarily for children, in which players cry "snap" to claim pairs of matching cards as they are turned up.

Make a clucking sounds, characteristic of hens

(obsolete) A greedy fellow.

Become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions;

That which is, or may be, snapped up; something bitten off, seized, or obtained by a single quick movement; hence, a bite, morsel, or fragment; a scrap.

A small, sharp sound indicating an action.

Briskness; vigour; energy; decision

Used metaphorically to express understanding.

Any circumstance out of which money may be made or an advantage gained. used primarily in the phrase soft snap.

Associated with cameras or other devices.

(slang) Something that is easy or effortless.

A snapper, or snap beetle.

Jounce (the fourth derivative of the position vector with respect to time), followed by crackle and pop

A quick offhand shot with a firearm; a snap shot.

(colloquial) Something of no value.

(social media) A visual message sent through the Snapchat application.

(Linux) A package provided for the application sandboxing system snapd developed by Canonical.

(uncountable) A crisp or pithy quality; epigrammatic point or force.

A tool used by riveters.

A tool used by glass-moulders.

A brief theatrical engagement.

A cheat or sharper.

A newsflash.

To fracture or break apart suddenly.

(intransitive) To give forth or produce a sharp cracking noise; to crack.

(intransitive) To attempt to seize or bite with the teeth, beak, etc.

(intransitive) To attempt to seize with eagerness.

(intransitive) To speak abruptly or sharply.

(intransitive) To give way abruptly and loudly.

(intransitive) To suffer a mental breakdown, usually while under tension.

(intransitive) To flash or appear to flash as with light.

(intransitive) To fit or fasten together with a snapping sound.

To jump to a fixed position relative to another element.

(transitive) To snatch with or as if with the teeth.

(transitive) To pull apart with a snapping sound; to pop loose.

(transitive) To say abruptly or sharply.

To speak to abruptly or sharply; to treat snappishly; usually with up.

(transitive) To cause something to emit a snapping sound, especially by closing it rapidly.

(transitive) To close something using a snap as a fastener.

(transitive) A video of a person snapping their fingers.Alternative snapping techniqueTo snap one's fingers: to make a snapping sound, often by pressing the thumb and an opposing finger of the same hand together and suddenly releasing the grip so that the finger hits against the palm; alternatively, by bringing the index finger quickly down onto the middle finger and thumb.

(transitive) To cause to move suddenly and smartly.

(transitive) To take a photograph; to release a camera's shutter (which may make a snapping sound).

To send a visual message through the Snapchat application.

To put (a football) in play by a backward pass or handoff from its position on the ground; to hike (a football).

To misfire.

To catch out sharply (a batsman who has just snicked a bowled ball).

The cry used in a game of snap when winning a hand.

"I've got one the same!", "Me too!"

(British) Ritual utterance of agreement (after the cry in the card game snap).

(North America) Used in place of expletive to express surprise, usually in response to a negative statement or news; often used facetiously.

Ritual utterance used after something is said by two people at exactly the same time.

Done, made, performed, etc., quickly and unexpectedly, or without deliberation.

To break at once; to break short, as substances that are brittle.

To strike, to hit, or to shut, with a sharp sound.

To bite or seize suddenly, especially with the teeth.

To break upon suddenly with sharp, angry words; to treat snappishly; - usually with up.

To crack; to cause to make a sharp, cracking noise; as, to snap a whip.

To project with a snap.

To catch out sharply (a batsman who has just snicked a bowled ball).

To break short, or at once; to part asunder suddenly; as, a mast snaps; a needle snaps.

To give forth, or produce, a sharp, cracking noise; to crack; as, blazing firewood snaps.

To make an effort to bite; to aim to seize with the teeth; to catch eagerly (at anything); - often with at; as, a dog snapsat a passenger; a fish snaps at the bait.

To utter sharp, harsh, angry words; - often with at; as, to snap at a child.

To miss fire; as, the gun snapped.

Of the eyes, to emit sudden, brief sparkles like those of a snapping fire, as sometimes in anger.

A sudden breaking or rupture of any substance.

A sudden, eager bite; a sudden seizing, or effort to seize, as with the teeth.

A sudden, sharp motion or blow, as with the finger sprung from the thumb, or the thumb from the finger.

A sharp, abrupt sound, as that made by the crack of a whip; as, the snap of the trigger of a gun.

A greedy fellow.

That which is, or may be, snapped up; something bitten off, seized, or obtained by a single quick movement; hence, a bite, morsel, or fragment; a scrap.

A sudden severe interval or spell; - applied to the weather; as, a cold snap.

A small catch or fastening held or closed by means of a spring, or one which closes with a snapping sound, as the catch of a bracelet, necklace, clasp of a book, etc.

A snap beetle.

A thin, crisp cake, usually small, and flavored with ginger; - used chiefly in the plural.

Briskness; vigor; energy; decision.

Any circumstance out of which money may be made or an advantage gained.

Any task, labor, set of circumstances, or the like, that yields satisfactory results or gives pleasure with little trouble or effort, as an easy course of study, a job where work is light, a bargain, etc.

A snap shot with a firearm.

A snapshot.

Something of no value; as, not worth a snap.

The action of snapping the ball back, from the center usu. to the quarterback, which commences the play (down), and, if the clock had stopped, restarts the timer clock; a snap back.

Done, performed, made, executed, carried through, or the like, quickly and without deliberation; as, a snap judgment or decision; a snap political convention.

The act of catching an object with the hands;

A spell of cold weather;

Tender green beans without strings that easily snap into sections

A crisp round cookie flavored with ginger

The noise produced by the rapid movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand;

A sudden sharp noise;

A sudden breaking

The tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed;

An informal photograph; usually made with a small hand-held camera;

A fastener used on clothing; fastens with a snapping sound;

Any undertaking that is easy to do;

The act of snapping the fingers; movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand;

(American football) putting the ball in play by passing it (between the legs) to a back;

Utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone;

Separate or cause to separate abruptly;

Break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension;

Move or strike with a noise;

Snap close with a sound;

Make a sharp sound;

Move with a snapping sound;

To grasp hastily or eagerly;

Put in play with a snap;

Cause to make a snapping sound;

Lose control of one's emotions;

Record on photographic film;

To make a sudden, sharp noise by breaking something.

To move or alter something rapidly.

Clicking in assembly often indicates that parts have been properly connected or secured.

It often means the device makes a sound indicating functionality, like a button being pressed correctly.

A click is usually softer and mechanical, while a snap is sharper, louder, and often associated with breaking or quick movements.

Yes, snapping fingers can be used to keep rhythm or attract attention in a non-verbal manner.

Snapping is common in musical performance for keeping rhythm, in magic shows for dramatic effect, or in casual scenarios to emphasize a point or signal readiness.

Photographers refer to taking a picture as a click, relating to the sound the camera shutter makes.

Yes, clicking provides tactile feedback in design, often used to confirm an action has been registered by the device.

Yes, snapping sounds can also be produced with objects or other body parts like the tongue.

In machinery, a snapping sound could indicate something breaking or malfunctioning, often requiring immediate attention.

Finger snapping requires a combination of finger strength, timing, and practice to achieve the desired sound.