as in scents
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 sniffs
Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
There are loud sniffs and some sobs.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
When Cody the golden retriever was introduced to his new sibling, his owner probably would have hoped for some happy tail wags and some curious sniffs to show his curiosity.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Just a few kilometers away, a black bear sniffs and studies the device tethering it to a tree.
—Ganesh Marín, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
From pet stores to hardware stores (with aisles as long as some street blocks), your dog will get in plenty of sniffs, pets, and some light exercise.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Tovar is the one officer who immediately sniffs out that there’s something weird about Gacy, and Luna incrementally nudges the character further and further into obsession.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The picture shows them on the floor together with Comet fully exposing his belly, a sign of trust, while Dottie sniffs him.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Lina sniffs, stamps her feet in the snow to make her own set of giant prints to frighten this creature.
—Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
On play two, Moore sniffs out the reverse from deep alignment, takes a sharp angle to the ball and makes the open-field stop.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
In one recent video, Stella sniffs Mia’s infant daughter and then presses the button for her name.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
McInerney fans may take a few sniffs opening weekend, and Fox fans may hole up for a couple weeks of curious glances, but Bright Lights boxoffice prospects seem mighty dim.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
There are loud sniffs and some sobs.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
When Cody the golden retriever was introduced to his new sibling, his owner probably would have hoped for some happy tail wags and some curious sniffs to show his curiosity.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Just a few kilometers away, a black bear sniffs and studies the device tethering it to a tree.
—Ganesh Marín, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
From pet stores to hardware stores (with aisles as long as some street blocks), your dog will get in plenty of sniffs, pets, and some light exercise.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
In the video, Chilli sniffs large bricks to locate the scent a trainer shared with him.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Tovar is the one officer who immediately sniffs out that there’s something weird about Gacy, and Luna incrementally nudges the character further and further into obsession.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The picture shows them on the floor together with Comet fully exposing his belly, a sign of trust, while Dottie sniffs him.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Lina sniffs, stamps her feet in the snow to make her own set of giant prints to frighten this creature.
—Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
On play two, Moore sniffs out the reverse from deep alignment, takes a sharp angle to the ball and makes the open-field stop.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
In one recent video, Stella sniffs Mia’s infant daughter and then presses the button for her name.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniffs
Noun
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For Diptqyue, camellia oil is the star ingredient, with hair mist alternatives for many of their most popular scents, including Fleur de Peau.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
2 Apr. 2026
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Our top pick is the CalmNFiz Shower Steamers, which come with eight relaxing scents like grapefruit and lavender.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Long-lasting How a deodorant smells is only half the battle.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The air smells like beignets and brass bands, the architecture tells stories centuries old, and every corner seems to hide a courtyard or a bar worth stepping into.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Given the collection's tropical theme, this particular iteration features notes of pineapple, guava, hibiscus, and other island aromas.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
31 Mar. 2026
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In an interview with Forbes, DeLeon described Three Hearts Rum rum as sticky toffee in flavor with aromas of wood, spices, candied orange and vanilla.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sniffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniffs. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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