as in hints
an almost imperceptible sign of something
even a whiff of appreciation for everything I've done for her would have been nice
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 whiffs
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Cameron induced 45 swings and 12 whiffs.
—Kansas City Star, 23 May 2026
Imai generated 19 whiffs on the 44 swings Minnesota took.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 19 May 2026
The curveball induced 11 whiffs on 14 swings and finished five of his nine strikeouts.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2026
All three have fastballs of 95 mph or harder with complementary breaking pitches that generate strikeouts and whiffs.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
Most alarming of all, Gil only induced three whiffs from the Astros.
—Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Some mention of bonus bets that whiffs of free money.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
World Baseball Classic Team USA whiffs Team USA lost 3-2 to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic title game Tuesday night.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Both whiffs only further reminded me what a top-tier star Clooney used to be, and these staid recent efforts help meta-textually burnish Jay Kelly’s initial setup.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2025
Given Eldridge’s offensive profile, there will likely always be a fair amount of strikeouts and whiffs in his game.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
The Cy Young winner’s slider led the way with six whiffs.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Cameron induced 45 swings and 12 whiffs.
—Kansas City Star, 23 May 2026
Imai generated 19 whiffs on the 44 swings Minnesota took.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 19 May 2026
The curveball induced 11 whiffs on 14 swings and finished five of his nine strikeouts.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2026
All three have fastballs of 95 mph or harder with complementary breaking pitches that generate strikeouts and whiffs.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
Most alarming of all, Gil only induced three whiffs from the Astros.
—Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
Consider that a positive sign for a club that struggled last season with strikeouts and whiffs at its lowest points.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Some mention of bonus bets that whiffs of free money.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
World Baseball Classic Team USA whiffs Team USA lost 3-2 to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic title game Tuesday night.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Both whiffs only further reminded me what a top-tier star Clooney used to be, and these staid recent efforts help meta-textually burnish Jay Kelly’s initial setup.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2025
Given Eldridge’s offensive profile, there will likely always be a fair amount of strikeouts and whiffs in his game.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiffs
Noun
-
There are very few hints in art of dogs being dirty, vicious or rabid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau may have been dropping wedding hints through their fashion choices at the Tribeca Film Festival.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Scent is closely tied to memory and mood, and a home that smells distinctly like your home — not like a hotel lobby or a department store — tends to feel more grounding.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026
-
Every single thing that gets touched, if it’s ripped, damaged or smells, gets chucked away.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
While some inns might feel stuffy, this one strikes a more approachable balance, with thoughtful touches like free parking, complimentary popcorn in the rooms, and welcome drinks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
-
The four-wheeler is also replete with sentimental touches.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In the video, Chilli sniffs large bricks to locate the scent a trainer shared with him.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Tovar is the one officer who immediately sniffs out that there’s something weird about Gacy, and Luna incrementally nudges the character further and further into obsession.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The chance of advancing from the group phase isn’t far-fetched, with a diverse squad of new and seasoned players and recent results that offer glimmers of hope for a run in the tournament.—
Jim Sciutto,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
At the outset this year, however, glimmers of hope appeared to emerge.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The chemical is particularly tough on the human respiratory system and, depending on how much a person inhales, MMA can cause everything from sore throats and cough to dizziness, nausea and, at the highest levels, damage to the nervous system, Kleinman said.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
With interest in on-loan Lutsharel Geetruida, there were flickers of worry on Wearside about the core of the team being undermined.—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Then the northern flickers, which consume ants, can visit your lawn and find something to eat.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whiffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiffs. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
