1
a
: a quick puff or slight gust especially of air, odor, gas, smoke, or spray
b
: an inhalation of odor, gas, or smoke
c
: a slight puffing or whistling sound
2
: a slight trace or indication
a whiff of scandal
3
whiffed; whiffing; whiffs
1
: to move with or as if with a puff of air
3
: to inhale an odor
1
2
: fan sense 8
whiffed three batters
Synonyms
Examples of whiff in a Sentence
Noun
I got a whiff of new paint when I entered the room.
I detected a whiff of sarcasm in her voice.
The pitcher had eight whiffs during the game.
Verb
He whiffed a strong odor of perfume.
The golfer nearly whiffed the shot.
The golfer nearly whiffed on the shot.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024
Their best player Judge is a bust with six strikeouts, including two whiffs Saturday with runners on base.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Witt has cut his strikeouts in each of his three major league seasons but still whiffed 106 times this year.
—Jerry Beach, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for whiff 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The smoke is still present, but whiffs of spice, tropical fruit, and a rich maple character intermingle in every sip.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024
Their best player Judge is a bust with six strikeouts, including two whiffs Saturday with runners on base.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
Republicans are livid after the debate moderators fact-checked JD Vance
The L.A. Times Special: VP debate: Walz whiffs on immigration, Vance dodges question and misinforms
Stay Golden,
Anita Chabria
P.S.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Witt has cut his strikeouts in each of his three major league seasons but still whiffed 106 times this year.
—Jerry Beach, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for whiff
Dictionary Entries Near whiff
Cite this Entry
“Whiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiff. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whiff
1 of 2 noun
ˈhwif 
ˈwif
1
: a quick puff or slight gust
a whiff of air
2
: a small quantity of odor, gas, or smoke that is breathed in
whiff
2 of 2 verb1
: to blow out or away in small amounts
2
: to breathe in an odor
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share