1
: one that sniffs: such as
a
: someone who sniffs a drug or other substance in order to become intoxicated
a cocaine/glue sniffer
b
or less commonly sniffer dog
: a dog that is trained to recognize and follow scents especially for the purpose of locating people or contraband (such as illicit drugs and explosives)
2
informal
: nose
Use your sniffer to detect unattractive or unhealthy odors.—
Susan DeBow
Susan DeBowExamples of sniffer in a Sentence
Sniffers were brought in to search bags at the airport.
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the worst moments was bagging up Weston’s clothes and giving them to police for sniffer dogs to use.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
And in May 2020, with the help of sniffer dogs, Russian customs seized 70 tons of contraband European cheeses that were being smuggled into the country.
—Olivia Potts, Longreads, 28 May 2026
This year, Vienna is deploying 500 private security personnel, 180 new cameras, counter-drones and sniffer dogs, while teaming up with an FBI task force in New York to monitor cyber threats.
—Steven Blum, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
In footage shared by the ABF, a sniffer dog could be seen sniffing a black suitcase and clear plastic bag.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sniffer
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Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
And in May 2020, with the help of sniffer dogs, Russian customs seized 70 tons of contraband European cheeses that were being smuggled into the country.
—Olivia Potts, Longreads, 28 May 2026
This year, Vienna is deploying 500 private security personnel, 180 new cameras, counter-drones and sniffer dogs, while teaming up with an FBI task force in New York to monitor cyber threats.
—Steven Blum, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
In footage shared by the ABF, a sniffer dog could be seen sniffing a black suitcase and clear plastic bag.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sniffer
Cite this Entry
“Sniffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sniffer. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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