eingeschnappt

Eingeschnappt is a German adjective used primarily in informal, colloquial speech to describe someone who is sulking, offended, or in a bad mood after a perceived slight or disappointment. The term is formed from the verb einschnappen, and its figurative sense refers to a person who closes themselves off emotionally or withdraws from a situation.

Usage and nuance: Eingeschnappt usually conveys mild to moderate offense rather than deep anger. It implies a tendency to withdraw, sulk, or react with quiet displeasure rather than to argue openly. The expression is common in everyday conversation and can be used about both adults and children. It is less suited for formal writing, where terms like beleidigt, verärgert, or gekränkt might be preferred.

grammar and forms: In sentences, einschnappt can function as a predicate adjective: Er ist eingeschnappt. Alternatively, one can describe a subject as eingehendschnappt, e.g., eine eingeschnappte Reaktion, though the most natural form for people is the predicate usage. The phrase can appear with related nouns or adjectives, such as einen eingeschnappten Ton führen or eine eingeschnappte Haltung zeigen.

Examples: Er war eingeschnappt, weil er nicht eingeladen wurde. Sie ist eingeschnappt, nachdem ihr Vorschlag abgelehnt wurde. Warum bist du eingeschnappt?

Related terms: The concept is related to but milder than being sauer or verärgert. It emphasizes withdrawal or sulking rather than outright anger, and it often carries a humorous or light-hearted undertone depending on context.