reverse snob: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, often journalistic or conversational
Quick answer
What does “reverse snob” mean?
A person who deliberately rejects or affects contempt for things considered to be sophisticated, refined, or high-class, often out of a sense of inverted superiority.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who deliberately rejects or affects contempt for things considered to be sophisticated, refined, or high-class, often out of a sense of inverted superiority.
Someone who takes pride in preferring what is simple, ordinary, or popular, and who may look down on those with more refined or expensive tastes, considering them pretentious.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly used in British English, where class distinctions and anti-pretension are frequent cultural themes. In American English, similar concepts might be described with phrases like 'hipster anti-elitism' or 'slumming it'.
Connotations
In the UK, it carries strong connotations related to the class system. In the US, it may relate more to cultural or intellectual pretension versus populism.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but higher recognition and usage in UK media and social commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “reverse snob” in a Sentence
[Person] is a reverse snob about [topic/object].He/she displays reverse snobbery by [action].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “reverse snob” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He reverse-snobs his way through the wine list, insisting on the house red.
American English
- She reverse-snobs about coffee, claiming instant is just as good as artisan roast.
adverb
British English
- He said, rather reverse-snobbishly, that he'd never fly first class.
American English
- She shops reverse-snobbishly, avoiding any designer labels.
adjective
British English
- His reverse-snob attitude towards theatre is tiresome.
American English
- They have a reverse-snob preference for diners over fine dining.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in marketing discussions about brand perception (e.g., 'appealing to reverse snobs by highlighting simplicity').
Academic
Very rare. Could appear in sociology or cultural studies papers discussing class and taste.
Everyday
The primary context, used in conversation to critique someone's affectedly simple tastes.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “reverse snob”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “reverse snob”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “reverse snob”
- Using it to describe someone who is genuinely humble or of simple taste without the element of pride or contempt.
- Confusing it with 'anti-materialistic', which is a value, not a form of snobbery.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Humility lacks the pride and contempt for others' tastes that defines reverse snobbery.
Yes, about different things. One might be a snob about coffee (only single-origin) and a reverse snob about cars (mocking luxury brands).
While overlapping, a 'hipster' often seeks obscure, 'authentic' alternatives, which can itself be a form of elitism. A 'reverse snob' explicitly champions the mainstream or simple as superior.
It is used informally in social commentary. The more formal academic concept is 'inverted snobbery' or is discussed within theories of cultural capital and distinction.
A person who deliberately rejects or affects contempt for things considered to be sophisticated, refined, or high-class, often out of a sense of inverted superiority.
Reverse snob is usually informal, often journalistic or conversational in register.
Reverse snob: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˌvɜːs ˈsnɒb/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˌvɜːrs ˈsnɑːb/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A case of reverse snobbery.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of it as snobbery in REVERSE gear: instead of looking down for lacking refinement, they look down for having it.
Conceptual Metaphor
SNOBBERY IS A DIRECTION (up/down). Reverse snobbery is pointing the judgment downward, towards refinement.
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining trait of a 'reverse snob'?