as in scent
the quality of a thing that makes it perceptible to the sense organs in the nose
we took a good sniff of the sauce, trying to guess its ingredients
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sniff
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Near the end of Hart’s interview, the comedian opened his bottle of the Last Dab — Hot Ones’ in-house sauce, particularly lethal — and went in for a deep sniff.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 2025
David W. Brown, New Yorker, 5 July 2025
When Nancy and her colleague start sniffing around a secret, the tulips start to wilt, and suddenly, everyone's hiding something.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sniff
Noun
The father, meanwhile, doesn't seem sure of what to make of him, and walks cautiously over for a sniff.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Near the end of Hart’s interview, the comedian opened his bottle of the Last Dab — Hot Ones’ in-house sauce, particularly lethal — and went in for a deep sniff.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 2025
Verb
Cats sniffed through the wires; one sat on top, as if mocking my efforts, and another crawled inside.
—David W. Brown, New Yorker, 5 July 2025
When Nancy and her colleague start sniffing around a secret, the tulips start to wilt, and suddenly, everyone's hiding something.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sniff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniff
Noun
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The smell will fade overtime as the blinds begin to dry, but diluting vinegar with water helps minimize the potency of the scent.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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Consider matching the soap's color (and the scent) to the jar's jam flavor.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Your laundry room will smell a bit like ozone (think of how the air smells after a thunderstorm) but that's the only indicator that anything is different.—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Court documents said Royster’s breath smelled strongly of alcohol.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Hand-selected by Distiller David Bock, this latest release was aged a minimum of ten years and boasts the rich aromas of leather, plums, and a hint of apple.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
14 July 2025
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The citrus notes are powerful and sharp; Joseph tasted calamansi and lemon zest, Kelsey tasted zingy lime, editorial operations manager Kate Kassin mentioned aromas of orange peel.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 July 2025
Verb
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The nervous systems of animals that swallowed or inhaled other hydraulic fluids were affected immediately with tremors, diarrhea, sweating, breathing difficulty, and sometimes several weeks later with weakness of the limbs, or paralysis.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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These poisons can vaporize on hot days and be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or even swallowed by children playing on synthetic fields.—
Dr. Philip J. Landrigan,
New York Daily News,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sniff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniff. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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