sniff at

phrasal verb

sniffed at; sniffing at; sniffs at
: to show dislike or disapproval of (something) especially because one thinks it is not important or worthy of respect
Some people sniff at the idea of using fake flowers.
It's not a big profit, but it's not to be sniffed at.
Your accomplishment is nothing to sniff at.

Examples of sniff at in a Sentence

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While American wine doesn’t have the same storied history as, say, Bordeaux or the Rheingau, our viticultural areas are nothing to sniff at. Alessandra Amodio, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2025 An entire realm of talented pianists were not given enough ado and were sometimes sniffed at. The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sniff at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sniff%20at. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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