as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
she was sniffy about anyone who didn't live up to her standards for "good manners"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sniffy
People in England — players, managers, fans, media —need to be less sniffy about the under-21s.
—
Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
Some systems can be overtly sniffy about poverty-spec audio files like this, but the KEF is not so judgmental.
—Simon Lucas, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2024
Their rewiring of Test cricket was thrilling everyone back in 2022 (apart from a sniffy Australia) when England became the first team to complete a clean sweep in Pakistan and in some style.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
When confronted with the American habit of ascribing an overseas soccer team’s style of play to its most recognizable national characteristics, Europeans tend to get a bit sniffy.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 June 2024
The Chinese Communist Party becomes sniffy about social media platforms collecting data on users in China.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2024
To those who might feel a bit sniffy about the short-cuts around the hard work of making music that Mayk.
—David Prosser, Forbes, 9 June 2022
Both have tried, with varying success, to overcome the sniffy charges of flashiness.
—Carolina A. Mirandacolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2022
Admiral Godfrey is sniffy about their preposterous deception proposal’s chances of success, but Churchill gives it the go-ahead, so they are installed in a basement office and put to work.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2022
Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
Some systems can be overtly sniffy about poverty-spec audio files like this, but the KEF is not so judgmental.
—Simon Lucas, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2024
Their rewiring of Test cricket was thrilling everyone back in 2022 (apart from a sniffy Australia) when England became the first team to complete a clean sweep in Pakistan and in some style.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
When confronted with the American habit of ascribing an overseas soccer team’s style of play to its most recognizable national characteristics, Europeans tend to get a bit sniffy.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 June 2024
The Chinese Communist Party becomes sniffy about social media platforms collecting data on users in China.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2024
To those who might feel a bit sniffy about the short-cuts around the hard work of making music that Mayk.
—David Prosser, Forbes, 9 June 2022
Both have tried, with varying success, to overcome the sniffy charges of flashiness.
—Carolina A. Mirandacolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2022
Admiral Godfrey is sniffy about their preposterous deception proposal’s chances of success, but Churchill gives it the go-ahead, so they are installed in a basement office and put to work.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sniffy
arrogant
Adjective
-
In addition to Sandler, the 2025 film also sees the return of several familiar faces, including Julie Bowen as Happy’s love interest, Virginia Venit; Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, Happy’s arrogant nemesis; and Ben Stiller as Hal L., the orderly from Happy’s grandmother’s nursing home.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
Christopher McDonald plays Happy’s comically villainous, arrogant rival Shooter McGavin, maestro of the finger guns.—
Skyler Trepel,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sniffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sniffy. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share