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
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s nothing to sniff at — especially with how inconsistent the other units have been.
—
Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Lincoln sniffs at the box his owner has placed the stuffie into, and looks confused at why his owner is taking his favorite toy away.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2025
But for Cheung, who has followed the Hong Kong soccer team at different home venues for 10 years, the best part about Kai Tak Sports Park is the air conditioning – not to be sniffed at in a subtropical city of swelteringly humid summers.
—Fred He, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 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
Some of them extended their trunks to the puddle of blood and sniffed at it.
—Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2025
For the record, T’s Mushroom & Swiss burger is nothing to sniff at, either.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 14 July 2025
Some of his old-guard fashion friends might have sniffed at the move, but Posen — who’s judged Project Runway, written a cookbook and designed for Hugo Boss — is unbothered.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Lincoln sniffs at the box his owner has placed the stuffie into, and looks confused at why his owner is taking his favorite toy away.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2025
But for Cheung, who has followed the Hong Kong soccer team at different home venues for 10 years, the best part about Kai Tak Sports Park is the air conditioning – not to be sniffed at in a subtropical city of swelteringly humid summers.
—Fred He, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 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
Some of them extended their trunks to the puddle of blood and sniffed at it.
—Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2025
For the record, T’s Mushroom & Swiss burger is nothing to sniff at, either.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 14 July 2025
Some of his old-guard fashion friends might have sniffed at the move, but Posen — who’s judged Project Runway, written a cookbook and designed for Hugo Boss — is unbothered.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sniff at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sniff%20at. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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