diff --git a/cursorless-snippets/functionDeclaration.cursorless-snippets b/cursorless-snippets/functionDeclaration.cursorless-snippets
index c57443bd35..a87d9a93b6 100644
--- a/cursorless-snippets/functionDeclaration.cursorless-snippets
+++ b/cursorless-snippets/functionDeclaration.cursorless-snippets
@@ -21,6 +21,32 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      {
+        "scope": {
+          "langIds": [
+            "typescript",
+            "typescriptreact",
+            "javascript",
+            "javascriptreact"
+          ],
+          "scopeTypes": [
+            "class"
+          ],
+          "excludeDescendantScopeTypes": [
+            "namedFunction"
+          ]
+        },
+        "body": [
+          "$name($parameterList) {",
+          "\t$body",
+          "}"
+        ],
+        "variables": {
+          "name": {
+            "formatter": "camelCase"
+          }
+        }
+      },
       {
         "scope": {
           "langIds": [
@@ -36,6 +62,28 @@
             "formatter": "snakeCase"
           }
         }
+      },
+      {
+        "scope": {
+          "langIds": [
+            "python"
+          ],
+          "scopeTypes": [
+            "class"
+          ],
+          "excludeDescendantScopeTypes": [
+            "namedFunction"
+          ]
+        },
+        "body": [
+          "def $name(self${parameterList:, }):",
+          "\t$body"
+        ],
+        "variables": {
+          "name": {
+            "formatter": "snakeCase"
+          }
+        }
       }
     ],
     "description": "Function declaration",
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/snippet.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/snippet.types.ts
index f25b28e402..9145a888db 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/types/snippet.types.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/snippet.types.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@ export interface SnippetScope {
    * global scope.
    */
   scopeTypes?: SimpleScopeTypeType[];
+
+  /**
+   * Exclude regions of {@link scopeTypes} that are descendants of these scope
+   * types. For example, if you have a snippet that should be active in a class
+   * but not in a function within the class, you can specify
+   * `scopeTypes: ["class"], excludeDescendantScopeTypes: ["namedFunction"]`.
+   */
+  excludeDescendantScopeTypes?: SimpleScopeTypeType[];
 }
 
 export type SnippetBody = string[];
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/InsertSnippet.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/InsertSnippet.ts
index cb186043d0..948a0a8506 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/InsertSnippet.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/InsertSnippet.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { Target } from "../typings/target.types";
 import { ensureSingleEditor } from "../util/targetUtils";
 import { Actions } from "./Actions";
 import { Action, ActionReturnValue } from "./actions.types";
+import { UntypedTarget } from "../processTargets/targets";
 
 interface NamedSnippetArg {
   type: "named";
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ export default class InsertSnippet implements Action {
       const snippet = this.snippets.getSnippetStrict(name);
 
       const definition = findMatchingSnippetDefinitionStrict(
+        this.modifierStageFactory,
         targets,
         snippet.definitions,
       );
@@ -124,9 +126,28 @@ export default class InsertSnippet implements Action {
   ): Promise<ActionReturnValue> {
     const editor = ide().getEditableTextEditor(ensureSingleEditor(targets));
 
+    await this.actions.editNew.run([targets]);
+
+    const targetSelectionInfos = editor.selections.map((selection) =>
+      getSelectionInfo(
+        editor.document,
+        selection,
+        RangeExpansionBehavior.openOpen,
+      ),
+    );
     const { body, formatSubstitutions } = this.getSnippetInfo(
       snippetDescription,
-      targets,
+      // Use new selection locations instead of original targets because
+      // that's where we'll be doing the snippet insertion
+      editor.selections.map(
+        (selection) =>
+          new UntypedTarget({
+            editor,
+            contentRange: selection,
+            isReversed: false,
+            hasExplicitRange: true,
+          }),
+      ),
     );
 
     const parsedSnippet = this.snippetParser.parse(body);
@@ -139,16 +160,6 @@ export default class InsertSnippet implements Action {
 
     const snippetString = parsedSnippet.toTextmateString();
 
-    await this.actions.editNew.run([targets]);
-
-    const targetSelectionInfos = editor.selections.map((selection) =>
-      getSelectionInfo(
-        editor.document,
-        selection,
-        RangeExpansionBehavior.openOpen,
-      ),
-    );
-
     // NB: We used the command "editor.action.insertSnippet" instead of calling editor.insertSnippet
     // because the latter doesn't support special variables like CLIPBOARD
     const [updatedTargetSelections] = await callFunctionAndUpdateSelectionInfos(
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/WrapWithSnippet.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/WrapWithSnippet.ts
index 7b0201288a..2bec5d6af2 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/WrapWithSnippet.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/WrapWithSnippet.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export default class WrapWithSnippet implements Action {
       const snippet = this.snippets.getSnippetStrict(name);
 
       const definition = findMatchingSnippetDefinitionStrict(
+        this.modifierStageFactory,
         targets,
         snippet.definitions,
       );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts
index 2907721202..d93e61e83f 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { showError, Snippet, SnippetMap, walkFiles } from "@cursorless/common";
 import { readFile, stat } from "fs/promises";
-import { cloneDeep, max, merge } from "lodash";
+import { max } from "lodash";
 import { join } from "path";
 import { ide } from "../singletons/ide.singleton";
 import { mergeStrict } from "../util/object";
+import { mergeSnippets } from "./mergeSnippets";
 
 const CURSORLESS_SNIPPETS_SUFFIX = ".cursorless-snippets";
 const SNIPPET_DIR_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS = 1000;
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ interface DirectoryErrorMessage {
 export class Snippets {
   private coreSnippets!: SnippetMap;
   private thirdPartySnippets: Record<string, SnippetMap> = {};
-  private userSnippets!: SnippetMap;
+  private userSnippets!: SnippetMap[];
 
   private mergedSnippets!: SnippetMap;
 
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ export class Snippets {
         };
       }
 
-      this.userSnippets = {};
+      this.userSnippets = [];
       this.mergeSnippets();
 
       return;
@@ -154,34 +155,32 @@ export class Snippets {
 
     this.maxSnippetMtimeMs = maxSnippetMtime;
 
-    this.userSnippets = mergeStrict(
-      ...(await Promise.all(
-        snippetFiles.map(async (path) => {
-          try {
-            const content = await readFile(path, "utf8");
-
-            if (content.length === 0) {
-              // Gracefully handle an empty file
-              return {};
-            }
-
-            return JSON.parse(content);
-          } catch (err) {
-            showError(
-              ide().messages,
-              "snippetsFileError",
-              `Error with cursorless snippets file "${path}": ${
-                (err as Error).message
-              }`,
-            );
-
-            // We don't want snippets from all files to stop working if there is
-            // a parse error in one file, so we just effectively ignore this file
-            // once we've shown an error message
+    this.userSnippets = await Promise.all(
+      snippetFiles.map(async (path) => {
+        try {
+          const content = await readFile(path, "utf8");
+
+          if (content.length === 0) {
+            // Gracefully handle an empty file
             return {};
           }
-        }),
-      )),
+
+          return JSON.parse(content);
+        } catch (err) {
+          showError(
+            ide().messages,
+            "snippetsFileError",
+            `Error with cursorless snippets file "${path}": ${
+              (err as Error).message
+            }`,
+          );
+
+          // We don't want snippets from all files to stop working if there is
+          // a parse error in one file, so we just effectively ignore this file
+          // once we've shown an error message
+          return {};
+        }
+      }),
     );
 
     this.mergeSnippets();
@@ -206,34 +205,11 @@ export class Snippets {
    * party > core.
    */
   private mergeSnippets() {
-    this.mergedSnippets = {};
-
-    // We make a list of all entries from all sources, in order of increasing
-    // precedence: user > third party > core.
-    const entries = [
-      ...Object.entries(cloneDeep(this.coreSnippets)),
-      ...Object.values(this.thirdPartySnippets).flatMap((snippets) =>
-        Object.entries(cloneDeep(snippets)),
-      ),
-      ...Object.entries(cloneDeep(this.userSnippets)),
-    ];
-
-    entries.forEach(([key, value]) => {
-      if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(this.mergedSnippets, key)) {
-        const { definitions, ...rest } = value;
-        const mergedSnippet = this.mergedSnippets[key];
-
-        // NB: We make sure that the new definitions appear before the previous
-        // ones so that they take precedence
-        mergedSnippet.definitions = definitions.concat(
-          ...mergedSnippet.definitions,
-        );
-
-        merge(mergedSnippet, rest);
-      } else {
-        this.mergedSnippets[key] = value;
-      }
-    });
+    this.mergedSnippets = mergeSnippets(
+      this.coreSnippets,
+      this.thirdPartySnippets,
+      this.userSnippets,
+    );
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/compareSnippetDefinitions.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/compareSnippetDefinitions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..794282db2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/compareSnippetDefinitions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+import {
+  SimpleScopeTypeType,
+  SnippetDefinition,
+  SnippetScope,
+} from "@cursorless/common";
+import { SnippetOrigin } from "./mergeSnippets";
+
+/**
+ * Compares two snippet definitions by how specific their scope, breaking
+ * ties by origin.
+ * @param a One of the snippet definitions to compare
+ * @param b The other snippet definition to compare
+ * @returns A negative number if a should come before b, a positive number if b
+ */
+export function compareSnippetDefinitions(
+  a: SnippetDefinitionWithOrigin,
+  b: SnippetDefinitionWithOrigin,
+): number {
+  const scopeComparision = compareSnippetScopes(
+    a.definition.scope,
+    b.definition.scope,
+  );
+
+  // Prefer the more specific snippet definitino, no matter the origin
+  if (scopeComparision !== 0) {
+    return scopeComparision;
+  }
+
+  // If the scopes are the same, prefer the snippet from the higher priority
+  // origin
+  return a.origin - b.origin;
+}
+
+function compareSnippetScopes(
+  a: SnippetScope | undefined,
+  b: SnippetScope | undefined,
+): number {
+  if (a == null && b == null) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  // Prefer the snippet that has a scope at all
+  if (a == null) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  if (b == null) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  // Prefer the snippet that is language-specific, regardless of scope type
+  if (a.langIds == null && b.langIds != null) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  if (b.langIds == null && a.langIds != null) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  // If both snippets are language-specific, prefer the snippet that specifies
+  // scope types.  Note that this holds even if one snippet specifies more
+  // languages than the other.  The motivating use case is if you have a snippet
+  // for functions in js and ts, and a snippet for methods in js and ts.  If you
+  // override the function snippet for ts, you still want the method snippet to
+  // be used for ts methods.
+  const scopeTypesComparision = compareScopeTypes(a.scopeTypes, b.scopeTypes);
+
+  if (scopeTypesComparision !== 0) {
+    return scopeTypesComparision;
+  }
+
+  // If snippets both have scope types or both don't have scope types, prefer
+  // the snippet that specifies fewer languages
+  return a.langIds == null ? 0 : b.langIds!.length - a.langIds.length;
+}
+
+function compareScopeTypes(
+  a: SimpleScopeTypeType[] | undefined,
+  b: SimpleScopeTypeType[] | undefined,
+): number {
+  if (a == null && b != null) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  if (b == null && a != null) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+interface SnippetDefinitionWithOrigin {
+  origin: SnippetOrigin;
+  definition: SnippetDefinition;
+}
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/mergeSnippets.test.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/mergeSnippets.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd4e4579c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/mergeSnippets.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,348 @@
+import { SnippetMap } from "@cursorless/common";
+import { mergeSnippets } from "./mergeSnippets";
+import assert = require("assert");
+
+interface TestCase {
+  name: string;
+  coreSnippets?: SnippetMap;
+  thirdPartySnippets?: Record<string, SnippetMap>;
+  userSnippets?: SnippetMap[];
+  expected: SnippetMap;
+}
+
+const testCases: TestCase[] = [
+  {
+    name: "should handle simple case",
+    coreSnippets: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["aaa"],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+    thirdPartySnippets: {
+      someThirdParty: {
+        bbb: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["bbb"],
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    userSnippets: [
+      {
+        ccc: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["ccc"],
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+    expected: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["aaa"],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      bbb: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["bbb"],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      ccc: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["ccc"],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
+  {
+    name: "should prefer user snippets",
+    coreSnippets: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["core aaa"],
+          },
+        ],
+        description: "core snippet",
+      },
+    },
+    thirdPartySnippets: {
+      someThirdParty: {
+        aaa: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["someThirdParty aaa"],
+            },
+          ],
+          description: "someThirdParty snippet",
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    userSnippets: [
+      {
+        aaa: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["user aaa"],
+            },
+          ],
+          description: "user snippet",
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+    expected: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["user aaa"],
+          },
+          {
+            body: ["someThirdParty aaa"],
+          },
+          {
+            body: ["core aaa"],
+          },
+        ],
+        description: "user snippet",
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
+  {
+    name: "should prefer user snippets when scopes are the same",
+    coreSnippets: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["core aaa"],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+        description: "core snippet",
+      },
+    },
+    thirdPartySnippets: {
+      someThirdParty: {
+        aaa: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["someThirdParty aaa"],
+              scope: {
+                langIds: ["typescript"],
+                scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+          description: "someThirdParty snippet",
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    userSnippets: [
+      {
+        aaa: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["user aaa"],
+              scope: {
+                langIds: ["typescript"],
+                scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+          description: "user snippet",
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+    expected: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["user aaa"],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: ["someThirdParty aaa"],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: ["core aaa"],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+        description: "user snippet",
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
+  {
+    name: "should prefer more specific snippets, even if they are from a lower priority origin",
+    coreSnippets: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["core aaa"],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+        description: "core snippet",
+      },
+    },
+    userSnippets: [
+      {
+        aaa: {
+          definitions: [
+            {
+              body: ["user aaa"],
+            },
+          ],
+          description: "user snippet",
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+    expected: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: ["core aaa"],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: ["user aaa"],
+          },
+        ],
+        description: "user snippet",
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
+  {
+    name: "should prefer snippets based on specificity",
+    coreSnippets: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: [""],
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript", "javascript"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript", "javascript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+    expected: {
+      aaa: {
+        definitions: [
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript", "javascript"],
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              langIds: ["typescript", "javascript"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+            scope: {
+              scopeTypes: ["anonymousFunction"],
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            body: [""],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+  },
+];
+
+suite("mergeSnippets", function () {
+  for (const testCase of testCases) {
+    test(testCase.name, function () {
+      const actual = mergeSnippets(
+        testCase.coreSnippets ?? {},
+        testCase.thirdPartySnippets ?? {},
+        testCase.userSnippets ?? [],
+      );
+
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(actual, testCase.expected);
+    });
+  }
+});
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/mergeSnippets.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/mergeSnippets.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..333a022d0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/mergeSnippets.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { Snippet, SnippetMap } from "@cursorless/common";
+import { cloneDeep, groupBy, mapValues, merge } from "lodash";
+import { compareSnippetDefinitions } from "./compareSnippetDefinitions";
+
+export function mergeSnippets(
+  coreSnippets: SnippetMap,
+  thirdPartySnippets: Record<string, SnippetMap>,
+  userSnippets: SnippetMap[],
+): SnippetMap {
+  const mergedSnippets: SnippetMap = {};
+
+  // We make a merged map where we map every key to an array of all snippets
+  // with that key, whether they are core, third-party, or user snippets.
+  const mergedMap = mapValues(
+    groupBy(
+      [
+        ...prepareSnippetsFromOrigin(SnippetOrigin.core, coreSnippets),
+        ...prepareSnippetsFromOrigin(
+          SnippetOrigin.thirdParty,
+          ...Object.values(thirdPartySnippets),
+        ),
+        ...prepareSnippetsFromOrigin(SnippetOrigin.user, ...userSnippets),
+      ],
+      ([key]) => key,
+    ),
+    (entries) => entries.map(([, value]) => value),
+  );
+
+  Object.entries(mergedMap).forEach(([key, snippets]) => {
+    const mergedSnippet: Snippet = merge(
+      {},
+      // We sort the snippets by origin as (core, third-party, user) so that
+      // when we merge them, the user snippets will override the third-party
+      // snippets, which will override the core snippets.
+      ...snippets
+        .sort((a, b) => a.origin - b.origin)
+        .map(({ snippet }) => snippet),
+    );
+
+    // We sort the definitions by decreasing precedence, so that earlier
+    // definitions will be chosen before later definitions when we're choosing a
+    // definition for a given target context.
+    mergedSnippet.definitions = snippets
+      .flatMap(({ origin, snippet }) =>
+        snippet.definitions.map((definition) => ({ origin, definition })),
+      )
+      .sort((a, b) => -compareSnippetDefinitions(a, b))
+      .map(({ definition }) => definition);
+
+    mergedSnippets[key] = mergedSnippet;
+  });
+
+  return mergedSnippets;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Prepares the given snippet maps for merging by adding the given origin to
+ * each snippet.
+ * @param origin The origin of the snippets
+ * @param snippetMaps The snippet maps from the given origin
+ * @returns An array of entries of the form [key, {origin, snippet}]
+ */
+function prepareSnippetsFromOrigin(
+  origin: SnippetOrigin,
+  ...snippetMaps: SnippetMap[]
+) {
+  return snippetMaps
+    .map((snippetMap) =>
+      mapValues(cloneDeep(snippetMap), (snippet) => ({
+        origin,
+        snippet,
+      })),
+    )
+    .flatMap((snippetMap) => Object.entries(snippetMap));
+}
+
+export enum SnippetOrigin {
+  core = 0,
+  thirdParty = 1,
+  user = 2,
+}
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/snippets/snippet.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/snippets/snippet.ts
index 5ce167ce4c..9f2480b264 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/snippets/snippet.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/snippets/snippet.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { SnippetDefinition } from "@cursorless/common";
+import { SimpleScopeTypeType, SnippetDefinition } from "@cursorless/common";
 import { Target } from "../typings/target.types";
 import {
   Placeholder,
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   Variable,
 } from "./vendor/vscodeSnippet/snippetParser";
 import { KnownSnippetVariableNames } from "./vendor/vscodeSnippet/snippetVariables";
+import { ModifierStageFactory } from "../processTargets/ModifierStageFactory";
 
 /**
  * Replaces the snippet variable with name `placeholderName` with
@@ -84,11 +85,16 @@ function getMaxPlaceholderIndex(parsedSnippet: TextmateSnippet): number {
  * @returns The snippet definition that matches the given context
  */
 export function findMatchingSnippetDefinitionStrict(
+  modifierStageFactory: ModifierStageFactory,
   targets: Target[],
   definitions: SnippetDefinition[],
 ): SnippetDefinition {
   const definitionIndices = targets.map((target) =>
-    findMatchingSnippetDefinitionForSingleTarget(target, definitions),
+    findMatchingSnippetDefinitionForSingleTarget(
+      modifierStageFactory,
+      target,
+      definitions,
+    ),
   );
 
   const definitionIndex = definitionIndices[0];
@@ -104,26 +110,85 @@ export function findMatchingSnippetDefinitionStrict(
   return definitions[definitionIndex];
 }
 
+/**
+ * Based on the context determined by {@link target} (eg the file's language id
+ * and containing scope), finds the best snippet definition that matches the
+ * given context. Returns -1 if no matching snippet definition could be found.
+ *
+ * We assume that the definitions are sorted in precedence order, so we just
+ * return the first match we find.
+ *
+ * @param modifierStageFactory For creating containing scope modifiers
+ * @param target The target to find a matching snippet definition for
+ * @param definitions The list of snippet definitions to search
+ * @returns The index of the best snippet definition that matches the given
+ * target, or -1 if no matching snippet definition could be found
+ */
 function findMatchingSnippetDefinitionForSingleTarget(
+  modifierStageFactory: ModifierStageFactory,
   target: Target,
   definitions: SnippetDefinition[],
 ): number {
   const languageId = target.editor.document.languageId;
 
+  // We want to find the first definition that matches the given context.
+  // Note that we just use the first match we find because the definitions are
+  // guaranteed to come sorted in precedence order.
   return definitions.findIndex(({ scope }) => {
     if (scope == null) {
       return true;
     }
 
-    const { langIds, scopeTypes } = scope;
+    const { langIds, scopeTypes, excludeDescendantScopeTypes } = scope;
 
     if (langIds != null && !langIds.includes(languageId)) {
       return false;
     }
 
     if (scopeTypes != null) {
-      // TODO: Implement this; see #802
-      throw new Error("Scope types not yet implemented");
+      const allScopeTypes = scopeTypes.concat(
+        excludeDescendantScopeTypes ?? [],
+      );
+      let matchingTarget: Target | undefined = undefined;
+      let matchingScopeType: SimpleScopeTypeType | undefined = undefined;
+      for (const scopeTypeType of allScopeTypes) {
+        try {
+          let containingTarget = modifierStageFactory
+            .create({
+              type: "containingScope",
+              scopeType: { type: scopeTypeType },
+            })
+            .run(target)[0];
+
+          if (target.contentRange.isRangeEqual(containingTarget.contentRange)) {
+            // Skip this scope if the target is exactly the same as the
+            // containing scope, otherwise wrapping won't work, because we're
+            // really outside the containing scope when we're wrapping
+            containingTarget = modifierStageFactory
+              .create({
+                type: "containingScope",
+                scopeType: { type: scopeTypeType },
+                ancestorIndex: 1,
+              })
+              .run(target)[0];
+          }
+
+          if (
+            matchingTarget == null ||
+            matchingTarget.contentRange.contains(containingTarget.contentRange)
+          ) {
+            matchingTarget = containingTarget;
+            matchingScopeType = scopeTypeType;
+          }
+        } catch (e) {
+          continue;
+        }
+      }
+
+      return (
+        matchingTarget != null &&
+        !(excludeDescendantScopeTypes ?? []).includes(matchingScopeType!)
+      );
     }
 
     return true;
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/funkWrapClass.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/funkWrapClass.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1ae85aa448
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/funkWrapClass.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+languageId: python
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: funk wrap class
+  action:
+    name: wrapWithSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration, variableName: body}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      modifiers:
+        - type: containingScope
+          scopeType: {type: class}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa:
+        def bbb():
+            pass
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    def ():
+        class Aaa:
+            def bbb():
+                pass
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 0, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 0, character: 4}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 0, character: 0}
+        end: {line: 3, character: 16}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk3.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk3.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74d6479925
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk3.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - {type: implicit}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        () {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 1, character: 4}
+        end: {line: 3, character: 5}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk4.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk4.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c22cc9ba8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk4.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - {type: implicit}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            function () {
+                
+            }
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 17}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 17}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 2, character: 8}
+        end: {line: 4, character: 9}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk5.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk5.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2e94070aa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk5.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - {type: implicit}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    function aaa() {
+        class Bbb {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    function aaa() {
+        class Bbb {
+            () {
+                
+            }
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 2, character: 8}
+        end: {line: 4, character: 9}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk6.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk6.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1070e623d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunk6.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - {type: implicit}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            class Bbb {
+                
+            }
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 3, character: 12}
+      active: {line: 3, character: 12}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            class Bbb {
+                () {
+                    
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 3, character: 12}
+      active: {line: 3, character: 12}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 3, character: 12}
+        end: {line: 5, character: 13}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkAfterClass.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkAfterClass.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c3a3eced21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkAfterClass.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk after class
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      modifiers:
+        - {type: position, position: after}
+        - type: containingScope
+          scopeType: {type: class}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+
+    function () {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 4, character: 9}
+      active: {line: 4, character: 9}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 4, character: 0}
+        end: {line: 6, character: 1}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkAfterThis5.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkAfterThis5.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63d310fe37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkAfterThis5.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk after this
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      mark: {type: cursor}
+      modifiers:
+        - {type: position, position: after}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            
+        }
+
+        () {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 5, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 5, character: 4}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 5, character: 4}
+        end: {line: 7, character: 5}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkBeforeClass.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkBeforeClass.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..790879dfac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkBeforeClass.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk before class
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      modifiers:
+        - {type: position, position: before}
+        - type: containingScope
+          scopeType: {type: class}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    function () {
+        
+    }
+
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 0, character: 9}
+      active: {line: 0, character: 9}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 0, character: 0}
+        end: {line: 2, character: 1}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkBeforeThis4.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkBeforeThis4.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b43c0ec42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkBeforeThis4.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk before this
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      mark: {type: cursor}
+      modifiers:
+        - {type: position, position: before}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        () {
+            
+        }
+
+        bbb() {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 1, character: 4}
+        end: {line: 3, character: 5}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkCelloWorld.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkCelloWorld.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..33d7249590
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkCelloWorld.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk cello world
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - type: named
+        name: functionDeclaration
+        substitutions: {name: cello world}
+  targets:
+    - {type: implicit}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        celloWorld() {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 15}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 15}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 1, character: 4}
+        end: {line: 3, character: 5}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkToClass.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkToClass.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2484515c8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkToClass.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk to class
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      modifiers:
+        - type: containingScope
+          scopeType: {type: class}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    function () {
+        
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 0, character: 9}
+      active: {line: 0, character: 9}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 0, character: 0}
+        end: {line: 2, character: 1}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkToThis.yml b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkToThis.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2aa46eb21a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode-e2e/src/suite/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipFunkToThis.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+languageId: typescript
+command:
+  version: 5
+  spokenForm: snip funk to this
+  action:
+    name: insertSnippet
+    args:
+      - {type: named, name: functionDeclaration}
+  targets:
+    - type: primitive
+      mark: {type: cursor}
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: true
+initialState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        bbb() {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
+  marks: {}
+finalState:
+  documentContents: |-
+    class Aaa {
+        () {
+            
+        }
+    }
+  selections:
+    - anchor: {line: 1, character: 4}
+      active: {line: 1, character: 4}
+  thatMark:
+    - type: UntypedTarget
+      contentRange:
+        start: {line: 1, character: 4}
+        end: {line: 3, character: 5}
+      isReversed: false
+      hasExplicitRange: true
diff --git a/schemas/cursorless-snippets.json b/schemas/cursorless-snippets.json
index 7b5aa08af4..e067736612 100644
--- a/schemas/cursorless-snippets.json
+++ b/schemas/cursorless-snippets.json
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@
                     "$ref": "#/$defs/scopeType"
                   },
                   "description": "Cursorless scopes in which this snippet is active.  Allows, for example, to have different snippets to define a function if you're in a class or at global scope."
+                },
+                "excludeDescendantScopeTypes": {
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "items": {
+                    "$ref": "#/$defs/scopeType"
+                  },
+                  "description": "Exclude regions of scopeTypes that are descendants of these scope types.  For example, if you have a snippet that should be active in a class but not in a function within the class, you can specify `scopeTypes: [\"class\"], excludeDescendantScopeTypes: [\"namedFunction\"]`"
                 }
               },
               "additionalProperties": false