sniffing

Definition of sniffingnext
present participle of sniff
as in smelling
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose a curious cat sniffing the flowers in the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sniffing Barricades are up, bomb-sniffing dogs are on patrol and everyone entering the stadium area is screened at a checkpoint. Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026 The two first-round picks netted by the Mavericks will not come close to sniffing lottery territory. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026 Photos show the stacks of cash were well disguised among other boxes in the trailer, but a drug-sniffing K-9 was not fooled, police said. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026 Security measures include comprehensive surveillance, bomb-sniffing dogs, and aerial radiation surveys. Terry Collins, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026 But a little before that, photographer Poupay Jutharat was on the ground at the Javits Center, sniffing around as the pups prepped, primped, and occasionally napped before go-time. Poupay Jutharat, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026 Additionally, there are more than five other bomb-sniffing dogs that are in the Bay Area to keep the game safe. ABC News, 4 Feb. 2026 After about a minute of back-and-forthing with the dog, who sometimes comes close enough to eat the food before sniffing it and turning away, Albert and Meghan try one more tactic. Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026 One worker joined the FBI and made a career in counterintelligence, sniffing out Chinese spies. Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniffing
Verb
  • That film rubs off on your clothes and leaves them smelling stale and feeling stiff.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
  • These toxic elements sat in the channel’s then-stagnant water, which led to a die-off of all vegetation and the emission of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • These new players were inhaling possibilities.
    Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • They are sought out by patients who want to stop inhaling smoke, who can’t tolerate withdrawal, or who have failed repeatedly with abstinence-only approaches.
    Timothy Vermillion, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sniffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniffing. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

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