How to Use sniff in a Sentence

sniff

1 of 2 verb

• The dog sniffed the carpet.
• He held the flower up to his nose and sniffed.
• She sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue.
• She put perfume on her wrist and sniffed it.
• They can’t be sniffed over the wire.
  — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
• Bomb-sniffing dogs were at the scene.
  — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 13 Mar. 2026
• Many dogs have been trained to sniff out certain things.
  — Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 25 Aug. 2025
• Keep scrolling to sniff out this year's gorgeous snaps!
  — Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
• When to go, what to look for and how to sniff out a bargain.
  — Kara Elder, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
• The dogs learn how to sniff out drugs and track down a person's scent.
  — Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 18 Sep. 2025
• Just sniff a win on a regular track.
  — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
• But the little dog isn’t tempted to even sniff it.
  — Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
• The dog followed me outside and sniffed the tires of my truck.
  — Literary Hub, 18 Nov. 2025
• The dogs aren't just there to sniff out contraband.
  — Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 18 Sep. 2025
• That’s why Michael is able to sniff out screens and bat down passes.
  — Ben Thomas | [email protected], al, 1 Aug. 2022
• The speedy outfielder hadn’t sniffed the big leagues in five years.
  — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
• Each creature took time to sniff, bite and slither around the shiny prize.
  — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
• The best way to test whether an egg is still good is to crack it into a bowl and sniff it.
  — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 3 Mar. 2023
• Aardvarks are known for their long, pig-like snout that is used to sniff out insects.
  — Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 28 June 2022
• The reindeer raised his head to sniff the air, shook his head quickly, and stomped a foot.
  — Greg Borowski, jsonline.com, 15 Dec. 2022
• Don’t put out bird feeders, as bears can sniff out birdseed from more than a mile away.
  — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 13 Sep. 2025
• One minute your dog is sniffing happily through a spring walk.
  — Diana Bocco, USA Today, 15 May 2026
• The cats weave around my legs and begin to sniff each other’s asses.
  — Via Chronicle Books, Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
• Lali walked over and sniffed Nini’s foot—a unique gesture.
  — Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
• His nose is so powerful, it's used to sniff out cancer.
  — Felicia Faber, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
• On land, cadaver dogs sniffed the shore for any trace of Lynette.
  — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
• Arnold says that the changes in a person’s body odor are likely what seizure-alert dogs sniff out.
  — IEEE Spectrum, 7 July 2023
• For now, mother bears are teaching cubs to sniff for food to take from humans.
  — Johnny Casey, USA TODAY, 12 May 2023
• The kitchen god circled the garbage can, sniffing its contents.
  — Hiromi Kawakami, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023
• This Heat roster doesn’t have a player who will even sniff the third team.
  — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026

sniff

2 of 2 noun

• There was still a sniff of hope left for the team.
• He wanted to avoid the slightest sniff of a scandal.
• She said that she felt fine, but her sniffs and coughs told a different story.
• There are loud sniffs and some sobs.
  — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
• Here's what to look—and sniff—for.
  — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
• Here's what to look—and sniff—for.
  — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
• Here's what to look—and sniff—for.
  — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
• Sturgess sprayed it, gave it a sniff and spread some on her wrist.
  — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
• Cut stem end off 1 chili and give the cut end a careful sniff.
  — J. J. Goode, The New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2022
• Peek under the mats, give a good sniff and put your palm down on the bare floor.
  — Josh Max, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2021
• If a food looks questionable, give it a good sniff.
  — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
• So this was his first sniff of postseason.
  — John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2026
• Rub a pinch between your fingers and sniff.
  — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
• Is there any sniff of signings this window?
  — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
• The man takes a drink (or a sniff), then the drink takes a drink, until the drink takes the man.
  — David Von Drehle, Twin Cities, 8 Oct. 2019
• Some walk by, while others pause to take a sniff or use the nearby tree for a back rub.
  — Casey Smith, National Geographic, 7 July 2017
• Jacob holds a bottle of Tito’s and even takes a small sniff.
  — Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
• Jacob holds a bottle of Tito’s and even takes a small sniff.
  — Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
• Better to give either or both the stem and blossom end a good sniff.
  — Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 2 July 2019
• Jim Plunkett got two rings with the Raiders and doesn’t get a sniff.
  — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2019
• If the color and feel are to your liking, give the base of the pineapple a sniff.
  — Alex Delany, Bon Appetit, 19 Feb. 2018
• This checks out per a recent sniff test with my 20-year-old babysitter.
  — Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2022
• It's followed by a pet horse, Cricket, which gives a couch a good sniff.
  — CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
• Each shirt got an immediate sniff test.
  — Joe Jackson, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
• And yet, year after year, Mullen couldn't get much of a sniff on the coaching carousel.
  — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2021
• So giving your flour a sniff is a good way to test its quality—and if in doubt, toss it out!
  — Amy Sherman, Martha Stewart, 4 Mar. 2026
• Infused with sweet almonds and tree blossom notes, one sniff of this scent will leave you smelling fresh.
  — Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 2 Dec. 2022
• Just a steely look into the striker’s eyes and a sniff to smell his intentions.
  — Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
• Karate was a staple for the four oldest, though Rashida gave it a brief sniff.
  — BostonGlobe.com, 11 June 2021
• But scratch-and-sniff technology has been used to far weirder ends over the years.
  — Nestor Ramos, BostonGlobe.com, 5 June 2018