as in scent
the quality of a thing that makes it perceptible to the sense organs in the nose
we took a good sniff of the sauce, trying to guess its ingredients
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Recent Examples of sniff
Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
Each shirt got an immediate sniff test.
—Joe Jackson, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
Magpie, who's a rescue dog from Satchel's Last Resort, has the special job of sniffing out these chambers along the coastline to help conservationists locate and move the turtle eggs to safer locations so the young turtles can reach the ocean with ease.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sniff
Noun
Fireworks coordinated with scratch-and-sniff cards for a multisensory experience.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
Each shirt got an immediate sniff test.
—Joe Jackson, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Warriors, according to Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor, have begun sniffing around current Florida coach Todd Golden as a potential replacement if the 60-year-old Kerr does not return.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
Magpie, who's a rescue dog from Satchel's Last Resort, has the special job of sniffing out these chambers along the coastline to help conservationists locate and move the turtle eggs to safer locations so the young turtles can reach the ocean with ease.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sniff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniff
Noun
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Plus, the citrus, orange blossom, and vanilla scent had our tester head over heels from the first spritz.—
Sarah Felbin,
Allure,
26 Apr. 2026
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When choosing soaps to deter deer, gardeners often have success with deodorant soaps that have an unnatural and strong scent, such as Irish Spring, Ivory, Coast, and Dial.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Browns are full of carbon and will keep things from smelling bad.—
Jessica Damiano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Get him to smell that ocean breeze, stick his feet in the sand — really relax.—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Food is prepared on charcoal- burning grills, giving it a mouthwatering char and aroma that electric grills could never dream of replicating.—
Nathanael Gassett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
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As the story goes, Christopher Columbus was first drawn to the continent’s shores by the strong, cinnamon-like aroma of the sassafras tree.—
Kari Traylor,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle lowers slightly and seems to inhale the pavement.—
Chris Jackson,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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For breathwork, Yasinksi recommends inhaling for four seconds, pausing for four seconds at the top, and then exhaling slowly.—
Lesly Gregory,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sniff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniff. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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