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
Briauna Brown, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Inside the stables, the family’s other two horses greeted Troy with affectionate sniffs, snuggles and neighs.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 May 2026
Technically, that wasn’t the very last image — the wormhole sucked up the whole theater, spit out a snow globe, and Benny, Colbert’s pet dog, sniffed the souvenir before being ushered onward by his owner — but when the lights went out on Broadway, that was that.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sniff
Noun
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office When K-9 Racket and his handler arrived at the scene, Racket performed a free air sniff of the vehicle and signaled a positive alert to the deputies for the presence of drugs.
—Briauna Brown, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Inside the stables, the family’s other two horses greeted Troy with affectionate sniffs, snuggles and neighs.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Partovi – an investor with a knack for sniffing out opportunity – saw potential.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 May 2026
Technically, that wasn’t the very last image — the wormhole sucked up the whole theater, spit out a snow globe, and Benny, Colbert’s pet dog, sniffed the souvenir before being ushered onward by his owner — but when the lights went out on Broadway, that was that.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sniff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniff
Noun
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Along with keeping things sanitary, regularly washing the soft goods in your bathroom can also keep the laundry scent in the air fresh and inviting.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
31 May 2026
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The light, the sound, the scent, the food, the energy in the room.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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The village boutiques scattered along the sloping cobblestone alleys are just a five-minute stroll away, and offer the standard unremarkable Provence souvenirs—traditional fabrics, yellow pottery, straw bags, and sweet-smelling soaps.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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Panish replayed for jurors testimony from Grossman’s daughter that, soon after the collision, Erickson arrived at the house smelling of alcohol.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
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What other mythology would even try to accommodate extending necks, water squirters, and intentionally unpleasant aromas?—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
4 June 2026
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Its complexity of flavors and aromas is unique.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The volatile organic compound can cause eye and skin irrigation as well as coughing, wheezing, headache or shortness of breath if inhaled.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
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Infection occurs when people inhale particles from the urine, feces or saliva of infected mice and rats.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sniff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniff. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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