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
Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
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
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
In the video, Chilli sniffs large bricks to locate the scent a trainer shared with him.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
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
Inside the stables, the family’s other two horses greeted Troy with affectionate sniffs, snuggles and neighs.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
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
The look of sheer repressed, stymied rage/laughter on Raph’s face when Paul sniffs the Oreos instead is one of the episode’s biggest laughs.
—Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
In the video, Chilli sniffs large bricks to locate the scent a trainer shared with him.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
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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Citrus, solar fragrances, fruity notes like peach and strawberry, and gourmand scents are leading the season’s biggest perfume trends.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
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The intention for this breed was to work closely with hunters, so they're locked in on human cues, scents and retrieval.—
Pat Mueller,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Verb
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For some couples, scent serves as a stress-reducing anchor for others, a change in how a partner smells can mirror a change in how the relationship feels.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2026
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Shop more of the best Prime Day deals under $25 below, including a Yankee Candle that smells just like vacation, before the savings are gone for good.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Noun
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With a steady stream of tiny bubbles, aromas of strawberry, marzipan, and honeysuckle set the scene for brilliant effervescence and peach, pomegranate, and lavender flavors with a closing note of brioche.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
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The Estate Blanc de Blanc, with its crisp aromas of ripe pear and fresh apple; Brut Rosé sparkling grenache, full of red fruit and raspberry; or the sparkling syrah are frequent favorites.—
Alissa Greenberg,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The chemical is particularly tough on the human respiratory system and, depending on how much a person inhales, MMA can cause everything from sore throats and cough to dizziness, nausea and, at the highest levels, damage to the nervous system, Kleinman said.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sniffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniffs. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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