whiff

1 of 2

noun

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

whiff

2 of 2

verb

whiffed; whiffing; whiffs

intransitive verb

1
: to move with or as if with a puff of air
2
: to emit whiffs : puff
3
: to inhale an odor
4

transitive verb

1
a
: to carry or convey by or as if by a whiff : blow
b
: to expel or puff out in a whiff : exhale
2
: fan sense 8
whiffed three batters

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
Noun
The equinox was actually Sunday morning, so Sunday still had that last whiff of summer. Erik Kain, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 On first whiff, cardamom top notes will capture your attention, though caramel and toffee accord at the heart and amber at its base will emerge as the eau de parfum wears on the skin. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2024
Verb
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 These bulky hydrocarbons, whiffed by the Huygens probe that Cassini dropped on the moon in 2005, eventually settle out of the atmosphere and coat the ground, like a veneer of soot. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whiff 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whiff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whiff was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near whiff

Cite this Entry

“Whiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiff. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

whiff

1 of 2 noun
ˈhwif How to pronounce whiff (audio)
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 verb
1
: to blow out or away in small amounts
2
: to breathe in an odor

More from Merriam-Webster on whiff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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