1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

snuff

verb

Definition of snuffnext
1
as in to sniff
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose the dog began barking as soon as she snuffed the scent of squirrel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately the proprietor of the boarding house had apparently snuffed almost 50 old men before she was caught

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 snuff More than half of Fresno’s total yards (60) came on the final drive, which the Trojans snuffed out on fourth down in the red zone. — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2026 Platner exited the race as reports about controversial behavior with past girlfriends snuffed out support for his campaign. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026 But their inconsistencies will snuff their chances of making a meaningful playoff run. — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026 What seemed to matter most to Murphy was snuffing out a political star in formation, Bronin. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for snuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snuff
  1. sniff
  2. assassinate
  3. smell
  4. murder
  5. inhale
  6. slay
  7. execute
  8. kill
Verb
  • But Jones sniffs out the option run on fourth down and tackle Jake Shockley in the backfield.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Though Leighton appears in front of their home at the end of the episode, the Dessens don’t realize that the MacNamara of their analog world has been sniffing around, too.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sniff
Verb
  • The program tonight will include a tribute to the late republican activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated one year ago, and an observance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, which is Friday.
    — Tamara Keith, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Loosely based on an unfinished novel by Federico García Lorca, a writer assassinated during the Spanish Civil War, the film explores the lives of three gay men in three time periods.
    — A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • Foul smells, texture changes, or mold are signs that food is spoiled and should be discarded.
    — Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The food smelled sour and the water tasted off, several said.
    — Hanna Park, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of smell
Verb
  • Ella Beatty plays Lizzie — a woman who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with a hatchet in 1892 but was found not guilty.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
  • An Illinois judge found Corie Walsh too dangerous to release after prosecutors alleged the Frankfort mother posed a threat to her husband and three surviving children after she was charged with murdering her 2-year-old son, Barrett.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of murder
Verb
  • Messick emerged from the dugout tunnel Monday afternoon in a hoodie with cutoff sleeves, inhaled and reveled in the crisp air that tends to accompany a playoff race.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • And viral trends like the cinnamon challenge can cause potential injury by accidentally inhaling the powder.
    — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of inhale
Verb
  • The deaths accounted for over 40% of the 156 women slain during that period.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • And yet, in the final battle against the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, the writers decided Arya Stark of all people would ultimately slay the Night King.
    — Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of slay
Verb
  • The cast and crew felt as euphoric as the characters executing the dance sequences, particularly the finale moment when Maya and Anjali take what should be a lighting SNAFU and use it to cement their friendship, forever.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
  • In her new role, Stachera will build and lead a new digital team, shape social strategy and audience engagement, and execute digital marketing initiatives across the label.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of execute
Verb
  • Saudi officials said debris from a Houthi drone also killed one civilian and injured others.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • For the most part, garlic grows best if it’s planted about a week or two after the first killing frost in the fall, followed by exposure to several months of cool weather before the spring season starts.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of kill

Phrases Containing snuff

Browse Nearby Words

snuck up
snuff
snuffbox
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Snuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snuff. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on snuff

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snuff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All