Thesaurus results for WHIFFED

whiffed

verb

past tense of whiff

as in sniffed

to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose whiffed the pot of chili on the stove and announced that he was staying for dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 whiffed Yes, rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, the first-round pick from San Diego State, whiffed on a possible sack of New England quarterback Drake Maye on Sunday. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026 On one snap, Ezeudu completely whiffed on a block, reminiscent of what the Chiefs endured two years ago before moving an All-Pro guard, Joe Thuney, to tackle. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026 Patel whiffed a shot attempt at the blue line, swinging his stick wildly. — Richie McGinniss, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 Alcantara, who walked one and whiffed three, is winless in his last eight starts. — Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026 Hunter Gaddis struck out pinch-hitter Carlos Cortes and Smith whiffed Henry Bolte. — CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026 Greenlaw, for example, whiffed on a tackle attempt of Puka Nacua on a 41-yard pass play in the second quarter — the longest play of the game for either team — that set up Los Angeles’ only score. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Jacas also let Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson escape the pocket on one edge rush and whiffed on a run stop in the backfield with no lineman in front of him. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, teams that whiffed on KD were forced to resort to alternative options. — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiffed

Verb

In fact, New England barely sniffed 40 yards of total offense in the quarter.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
The buck walked up to the dripper, sniffed it for a moment, and moved on.

— Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of sniffed

Verb

Arresting officers noted that Gonzalez smelled strongly of alcohol, slurred his speech, and showed signs of head injuries sustained during the fight.

— Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Police said her breath reportedly smelled of alcohol, her speech was slightly slurred, her eyes were bloodshot, and her balance was unsteady.

— Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of smelled

Verb

Severity depends on the amount of bacteria that’s inhaled, the strain that’s involved and individual susceptibility, Vanrompay says.

— Rachel Melegrito, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
Apparently Robyn is the only one who has inhaled enough fresh air to recognize the friction.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of inhaled

Browse Nearby Words

whiff

whiffed

whiffing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Whiffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiffed. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of whiffed

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

wabi-sabi

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes