whiffing

present participle of whiff
as in sniffing
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

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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 whiffing However, that doesn’t excuse him from whiffing on all but one free agent (Josh Uche) the team added this offseason. Omar Kelly august 23, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026 After whiffing during his first at bat, Hundley hit a triple in the fourth inning, a double off the left field wall in the scoreless sixth, a homer (his 16th of the season) in the eighth and a single in the 11th. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 By punting on draft picks, the Rams are taking the possibility of whiffing on them out of the equation. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026 And Jude isn’t above including a mocking slow-motion shot of a spoiled French boy totally whiffing a soccer kick. Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026 The Mets struggled against right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, whiffing on his four-seam fastball and his splitter. Abbey Mastracco, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026 The Slovenian star shook his head in disdain after whiffing on a 3-point attempt from the top of the key, the ball falling well short of the rim. Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026 The arrival of the 31-year-old on a $26 million, two-year deal could be viewed as a penalty for whiffing on Kris Jenkins. Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026 After whiffing nine batters in his first start of the season, the UTSA transfer has now collected double-digit strikeouts in three consecutive outings. David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiffing
Verb
  • 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
  • But when the Orcs come sniffing, those same qualities transform him from fun-loving hobbit to fierce protector.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Toss the lemons into the washer and run a quick cycle with hot water to leave the machine shining and smelling fresh.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Just like smelling a particular fragrance can bring back a memory faster than any other sense, a Taylor Swift song strikes an immediate, familiar chord.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The process would be similar to inhaling allergy medicine via a nasal spray.
    Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • And in the summer working, caring for the garden, cultivating my plants, my food, inhaling the sun, seeing my skin become brown just as the flowers are also growing their colours, and my beloved garden plants are delivering their brilliant food.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whiffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiffing. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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