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
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.
Noun
Worst: Xavier Bourgault The Oilers selecting Bourgault 22nd in 2021 was a whiff in so many ways. The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 21 June 2025 That futility or their whiffs last summer shouldn’t prevent the present-day Ducks from making strong pitches to potential top-of-class free agents like Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Florida’s Sam Bennett and Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers. Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 June 2025
Verb
Additionally, Toy Story spinoff Lightyear whiffed at the box office in 2023 after right-wing pundits ignited a furor over its same-gender kiss. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025 But with the Red Sox struggling to stay above .500 and recently trading superstar Rafael Devers, could more selling moves be on the way? Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN recently suggested the Cubs could be a fit for Bregman in a trade after whiffing on him in free agency. Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for whiff

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiff. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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

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