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
whiffed; whiffing; whiffs
1
: to move with or as if with a puff of air
3
: to inhale an odor
1
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
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
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
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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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
Cite this Entry
“Whiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiff. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whiff
1 of 2 noun
ˈhwif 
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 verb1
: to blow out or away in small amounts
2
: to breathe in an odor
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