diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ceea5f..7d97c81 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ keenable search "query" -p                                 # Pretty output (for
 keenable search "AI news" --site techcrunch.com            # Restrict to site
 keenable search "query" --published-after 2026-01-01       # Date filter
 keenable search "query" --acquired-before 2026-05-01       # Date filter
+keenable search "query" --snippet-max-length 2000          # Longer snippets (180-10000)
 keenable search "query" --api-key KEY                      # Use a specific API key
 ```
 
diff --git a/src/commands/search.rs b/src/commands/search.rs
index f6fa695..bc04f82 100644
--- a/src/commands/search.rs
+++ b/src/commands/search.rs
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ pub async fn search(
     query: &str,
     mode: Option<&str>,
     filters: SearchFilters,
+    snippet_max_length: Option<u64>,
     human: bool,
     api_key: Option<&str>,
 ) {
@@ -315,6 +316,9 @@ pub async fn search(
     if let Some(m) = &effective_mode {
         body["mode"] = json!(m);
     }
+    if let Some(n) = snippet_max_length {
+        body["snippet_max_length"] = json!(n);
+    }
     // Merge filter fields into body
     if let Value::Object(filter_map) = filters.to_json()
         && let Value::Object(ref mut body_map) = body
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 13d7ca5..9983728 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ enum Commands {
 
     /// Search the web (outputs YAML by default, use -p for pretty output)
     #[command(
-        after_help = "Works without login (free tier). Log in for higher rate limits.\n\nExamples:\n  keenable search \"rust async\"                                    YAML output (for agents)\n  keenable search \"rust async\" -p                                 Pretty output (for humans)\n  keenable search \"AI news\" --site techcrunch.com                 Restrict to site\n  keenable search \"dodgers braves\" --published-after 2026-01-01   Date filter (YYYY-MM-DD)\n  keenable search \"AI news\" --acquired-after 7d                   Relative date (min, h, d, mo, y)\n  keenable search \"AI news\" --acquired-after 2026-01-15T10:30:00Z ISO 8601 datetime\n  keenable search \"rust async\" --api-key keen_***_*****                Use a specific API key"
+        after_help = "Works without login (free tier). Log in for higher rate limits.\n\nExamples:\n  keenable search \"rust async\"                                    YAML output (for agents)\n  keenable search \"rust async\" -p                                 Pretty output (for humans)\n  keenable search \"AI news\" --site techcrunch.com                 Restrict to site\n  keenable search \"dodgers braves\" --published-after 2026-01-01   Date filter (YYYY-MM-DD)\n  keenable search \"AI news\" --acquired-after 7d                   Relative date (min, h, d, mo, y)\n  keenable search \"AI news\" --acquired-after 2026-01-15T10:30:00Z ISO 8601 datetime\n  keenable search \"rust async\" --snippet-max-length 2000          Longer snippets (180-10000)\n  keenable search \"rust async\" --api-key keen_***_*****                Use a specific API key"
     )]
     Search {
         /// Search query
@@ -167,6 +167,10 @@ enum Commands {
         #[arg(long)]
         published_before: Option<String>,
 
+        /// Maximum snippet length in characters (API accepts 180-10000)
+        #[arg(long = "snippet-max-length")]
+        snippet_max_length: Option<u64>,
+
         /// Pretty-print output for humans instead of YAML
         #[arg(short = 'p', long = "pretty")]
         pretty: bool,
@@ -317,6 +321,7 @@ async fn main() {
             acquired_before,
             published_after,
             published_before,
+            snippet_max_length,
             pretty,
             api_key,
         } => {
@@ -327,8 +332,15 @@ async fn main() {
                 published_after,
                 published_before,
             };
-            commands::search::search(&query, mode.as_deref(), filters, pretty, api_key.as_deref())
-                .await;
+            commands::search::search(
+                &query,
+                mode.as_deref(),
+                filters,
+                snippet_max_length,
+                pretty,
+                api_key.as_deref(),
+            )
+            .await;
         }
         Commands::Fetch {
             url,
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_search.py b/tests/e2e/test_search.py
index cf7a178..b6ca2bb 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/test_search.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_search.py
@@ -47,6 +47,28 @@ def test_result_count(basic_search):
     print(f"\nResult count for 'rust async patterns': {count}")
 
 
+def test_snippet_max_length(kn):
+    def avg_snippet(data):
+        lens = [len(r.get("snippet") or "") for r in results_of(data)]
+        return sum(lens) / len(lens)
+
+    short = kn("search", SEARCH_QUERY, "--snippet-max-length", "180").yaml()
+    long = kn("search", SEARCH_QUERY, "--snippet-max-length", "5000").yaml()
+    # Caps overshoot by ~10% (applied per-fragment upstream), so assert loose
+    # bounds far apart instead of exact limits. A dropped param would give
+    # both runs the same default length and fail one of the two.
+    assert avg_snippet(short) < 500
+    assert avg_snippet(long) > 1000
+
+
+def test_snippet_max_length_out_of_range(kn):
+    res = kn("search", SEARCH_QUERY, "--snippet-max-length", "50")
+    assert res.code == 1
+    data = res.yaml()
+    assert data["error"] == "Invalid parameter"
+    assert "snippet_max_length" in data["message"]
+
+
 # --- 2.2 modes ---
 
 def test_mode_realtime(kn):