sniff at
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
Recent Examples on the Web
So 9 knots is not to be sniffed at.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Mar. 2026
The dog was then shown sniffing at the competition, with skiers looking somewhat confused by their new rival.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
That's nothing to sniff at, though, as the cost of previous halftime show performances reportedly range from $10 to $20 million.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
The point itself is not to be sniffed at.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2025
His dog, Bull, wagged his tail and sniffed at the patch of browning grass under his paws.
—Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Nov. 2025
The other two Klimts on offer are nothing to sniff at, either.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2025
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.
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Mar. 2026
The dog was then shown sniffing at the competition, with skiers looking somewhat confused by their new rival.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
That's nothing to sniff at, though, as the cost of previous halftime show performances reportedly range from $10 to $20 million.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
The point itself is not to be sniffed at.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2025
His dog, Bull, wagged his tail and sniffed at the patch of browning grass under his paws.
—Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Nov. 2025
The other two Klimts on offer are nothing to sniff at, either.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sniff at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sniff%20at. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
