diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c03a2274fc3e..88cfba26a809 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 - `[jest-haste-map]` Remove `__proto__` usage ([#13256](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/13256))
 - `[jest-mock]` Improve `spyOn` typings to handle optional properties ([#13247](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/13247))
+- `[jest-snapshot]` Throw useful error when an array is passed as property matchers ([#13263](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/13263))
 
 ### Chore & Maintenance
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/printSnapshot.test.ts.snap b/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/printSnapshot.test.ts.snap
index 0a6ee670fc5e..4fa135cd940a 100644
--- a/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/printSnapshot.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/printSnapshot.test.ts.snap
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 // Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
 
+exports[`matcher error toMatchInlineSnapshot Expected properties must be an object (array) with snapshot 1`] = `
+<d>expect(</><r>received</><d>).</>toMatchInlineSnapshot<d>(</><g>properties</><d>, </>snapshot<d>)</>
+
+<b>Matcher error</>: Expected <g>properties</> must be an object
+
+Expected properties has type:  array
+Expected properties has value: <g>[]</>
+`;
+
 exports[`matcher error toMatchInlineSnapshot Expected properties must be an object (non-null) without snapshot 1`] = `
 <d>expect(</><r>received</><d>).</>toMatchInlineSnapshot<d>(</><g>properties</><d>)</>
 
@@ -32,6 +41,15 @@ exports[`matcher error toMatchInlineSnapshot Snapshot matchers cannot be used wi
 <b>Matcher error</>: Snapshot matchers cannot be used with <b>not</>
 `;
 
+exports[`matcher error toMatchSnapshot Expected properties must be an object (array) 1`] = `
+<d>expect(</><r>received</><d>).</>toMatchSnapshot<d>(</><g>properties</><d>)</>
+
+<b>Matcher error</>: Expected <g>properties</> must be an object
+
+Expected properties has type:  array
+Expected properties has value: <g>[]</>
+`;
+
 exports[`matcher error toMatchSnapshot Expected properties must be an object (non-null) 1`] = `
 <d>expect(</><r>received</><d>).</>toMatchSnapshot<d>(</><g>properties</><d>)</>
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/printSnapshot.test.ts b/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/printSnapshot.test.ts
index ada1cf671ea2..37a9760a6fcf 100644
--- a/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/printSnapshot.test.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-snapshot/src/__tests__/printSnapshot.test.ts
@@ -241,6 +241,19 @@ describe('matcher error', () => {
       }).toThrowErrorMatchingSnapshot();
     });
 
+    test('Expected properties must be an object (array) with snapshot', () => {
+      const context = {
+        isNot: false,
+        promise: '',
+      };
+      const properties: Array<unknown> = [];
+      const snapshot = '';
+
+      expect(() => {
+        toMatchInlineSnapshot.call(context, received, properties, snapshot);
+      }).toThrowErrorMatchingSnapshot();
+    });
+
     test('Inline snapshot must be a string', () => {
       const context = {
         isNot: false,
@@ -312,6 +325,18 @@ describe('matcher error', () => {
       }).toThrowErrorMatchingSnapshot();
     });
 
+    test('Expected properties must be an object (array)', () => {
+      const context = {
+        isNot: false,
+        promise: '',
+      };
+      const properties: Array<unknown> = [];
+
+      expect(() => {
+        toMatchSnapshot.call(context, received, properties);
+      }).toThrowErrorMatchingSnapshot();
+    });
+
     describe('received value must be an object', () => {
       const context = {
         currentTestName: '',
diff --git a/packages/jest-snapshot/src/index.ts b/packages/jest-snapshot/src/index.ts
index 7cae97297d95..e5cb59da1534 100644
--- a/packages/jest-snapshot/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-snapshot/src/index.ts
@@ -164,7 +164,11 @@ export const toMatchSnapshot: MatcherFunctionWithContext<
   if (length === 2 && typeof propertiesOrHint === 'string') {
     hint = propertiesOrHint;
   } else if (length >= 2) {
-    if (typeof propertiesOrHint !== 'object' || propertiesOrHint === null) {
+    if (
+      Array.isArray(propertiesOrHint) ||
+      typeof propertiesOrHint !== 'object' ||
+      propertiesOrHint === null
+    ) {
       const options: MatcherHintOptions = {
         isNot: this.isNot,
         promise: this.promise,
@@ -231,6 +235,7 @@ export const toMatchInlineSnapshot: MatcherFunctionWithContext<
     }
 
     if (
+      Array.isArray(propertiesOrSnapshot) ||
       typeof propertiesOrSnapshot !== 'object' ||
       propertiesOrSnapshot === null
     ) {