sniffed; sniffing; sniffs
1
a
: to inhale through the nose especially for smelling
sniffed at the flowers
b
: to take air into the nose in short audible breaths
She sniffed and wiped her nose.
2
: to show or express disdain or scorn
1
2
: to utter contemptuously
3
: to recognize or detect (something) by or as if by smelling
—usually used with out
sniff out trouble
Synonyms
Examples of sniff in a Sentence
Verb
She sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue.
She put perfume on her wrist and sniffed it.
The dog sniffed the carpet.
He held the flower up to his nose and sniffed.
“I guess you don't need my help,” she sniffed.
Noun
She said that she felt fine, but her sniffs and coughs told a different story.
“I refuse to answer that question,” she said with a sniff.
He wanted to avoid the slightest sniff of a scandal.
There was still a sniff of hope left for the team.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Hezbollah has a violent history inside Lebanon, and its domestic enemies are now sniffing the wind for signs of weakness.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 14 Oct. 2024
One sniff and those two started playing and chasing each other instantaneously.
—Staff Author, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sniff 
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Verb
The zoo shared a video of the baby calf sniffing for food in a pile of glass across its social media accounts to celebrate her birth.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Hezbollah has a violent history inside Lebanon, and its domestic enemies are now sniffing the wind for signs of weakness.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
The researchers asked 229 adults in China to wear this device and smell different odor mixtures: two odors presented in quick succession within a single sniff.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 14 Oct. 2024
One sniff and those two started playing and chasing each other instantaneously.
—Staff Author, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sniff
Dictionary Entries Near sniff
Cite this Entry
“Sniff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sniff. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sniff
1 of 2 verb1
: to draw air into the nose in short breaths loud enough to be heard
sniffed at the cheese
2
: to show or express scorn
sniffed at simple jobs
3
: to smell or inhale by taking short breaths
sniff perfume
4
: to detect by or as if by smelling
sniff out trouble
sniffer
noun
sniff
2 of 2 noun1
: the act or sound of sniffing
2
: an odor or amount sniffed
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