sniff

verb
UK: /snɪf/
US: /snɪf/

  1. To breathe air in through your nose to try to smell something.

    1. I can sniff the flowers in the garden now.
    2. The dog began to sniff around the kitchen for a treat that dropped.

  2. To breathe in quickly and repeatedly through the nose, usually because you have a cold or are crying.

    1. I sniff because of my cold today.
    2. She had to sniff back tears as she watched the sad film alone.

  3. To discover something by smelling or seeming to discover something.

    1. The dog can sniff out the drugs.
    2. Reporters began to sniff around, searching for the truth behind the story.

Synonyms

smell inhale breathe whiff scent reek blow snoot
sniff noun

  1. The act of sniffing; the sound made by sniffing.

    1. I heard a sniff from the dog.
    2. She gave a loud sniff and wiped her eyes to clear vision.

  2. An act of smelling something by taking air in through the nose.

    1. He took a sniff of the perfume.
    2. The cook gave a quick sniff to check the sauce flavoring inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "sniff" in English means: To breathe air in through your nose to try to smell something., To breathe in quickly and repeatedly through the nose, usually because you have a cold or are crying., To discover something by smelling or seeming to discover something..

The phonetic transcription of "sniff" is /snɪf/ in British English and /snɪf/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "sniff": smell, inhale, breathe, whiff, scent, reek, blow, snoot.

Example usage of "sniff": "I can sniff the flowers in the garden now.". More examples on the page.