as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something
even a whiff of appreciation for everything I've done for her would have been nice
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whiff
Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 24 July 2025
Take a whiff: Close your eyes and smell your glass with your nose at least three fingers above the liquid to detect the full depth and character of your tequila.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
The bottom line is Turner is an A+ fit on both ends and fills a need the Bucks couldn’t afford to whiff on.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiff
Noun
Cincinnati has a spotty track record with first-round draft picks, including notorious whiffs on Akili Smith (1999) and John Ross (2017).
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 24 July 2025
Take a whiff: Close your eyes and smell your glass with your nose at least three fingers above the liquid to detect the full depth and character of your tequila.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Verb
In what should have been the easiest article to write in Mr. Plaschke’s illustrious career, Bill completely whiffs when comparing Kershaw to Koufax.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
The bottom line is Turner is an A+ fit on both ends and fills a need the Bucks couldn’t afford to whiff on.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiff
Noun
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Blending sweet, lemony, and earthy aromas with a hint of vanilla, this flavorful option is a great choice to share with a friend at the end of a night out.—
Emily Earlenbaugh,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Ambivalence means a look of cool, ironic detachment which would doubtless work very well in that away strip; lime green with a hint of no f***s given.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The air smelled of sea salt, cinnamon and tropical fruit, as if God had spilled sunscreen from the heavens during application.—
Marlise Kast-Myers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
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Nostalgia gardening draws on your memories to create a garden filled with sights and smells that remind you of cherished moments.—
Andrea Beck,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Starboard’s intentions this time around aren’t clear — the firm didn’t respond to CNBC’s request for comment — but its maneuvering nevertheless represents a glimmer of hope.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
15 Aug. 2025
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But the nearest thing to a glimmer of a positive would be that the fast development of COVID-19 vaccines helped prevent many more deaths and led to rapid progress in our understanding and use of mRNA technology.—
Simon Williams,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until Isaac appeared to kiss and sniff Chastain's underarm area.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
29 July 2025
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Miami will need someone to sniff out runs close and makes plays close to the line of scrimmage. ▪ 5.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Emory has been working on a dry powder mRNA antiviral platform that could be inhaled and Tiba is working on a platform that uses a nanoparticle carrier technology, according to the BARDA website.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
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Children, older adults and people suffering from respiratory conditions, including asthma, are particularly vulnerable to the fine particulate matter small enough to be inhaled that is the toxic byproduct of wildfires, environmental officials warned.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiff. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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