whippersnapper

noun

whip·​per·​snap·​per ˈ(h)wi-pər-ˌsna-pər 

: a diminutive, insignificant, or presumptuous person

Synonyms

• cipher
• dwarf
• half-pint
• insect
• insignificancy
• lightweight
• morsel
• nobody
• nonentity
• nothing
• nullity
• number
• pip-squeak
• pygmy
• pigmy
• shrimp
• snippersnapper
• twerp
• zero
• zilch

Examples of whippersnapper in a Sentence

some young whippersnapper piped up with a pointless comment

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Word History

Etymology

alteration of snippersnapper

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

whippersnapper

noun

whip·​per·​snap·​per ˈhwip-ər-ˌsnap-ər 

ˈwip-

: a small, unimportant, or overly confident person