as in looking down (on or upon)
to show contempt for
her carpentry skills are nothing to sniff at
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniffing (at)
Verb
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That title goes to the government of messianic zealots, Arab-hating nationalists and anti-modern ultra-Orthodox Israelis put together by Netanyahu to keep himself in power.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026 -
BrickHeadz are a little divisive, with Lego fans either loving or hating them.—
Kim Snaith,
Space.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chris does apologize for disrespecting Connor and for putting Bri in that situation.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
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From disrespecting local customs and getting pickpocketed to forgetting to reapply sunscreen and overpacking, European tour guides have truly seen it all.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Sniffing (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniffing%20%28at%29. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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