to breathe air in through your nose in order to discover or enjoy the smell of something, to make a short sound through your nose, especially because you are crying or because you have a cold

sniff out, sniff at, sniff around

Formal and Informal Expressions of sniff

In different contexts, you can replace 'sniff' with suitable alternatives. In a more informal setting, 'snuffle' is apt.

sniff: Explore its Definition & Usage

sniff Definition

1to breathe air in through your nose in order to discover or enjoy the smell of something
2to make a short sound through your nose, especially because you are crying or because you have a cold

Using sniff: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sniff" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
She sniffed the flowers to enjoy their fragrance.
Example
He sniffed and wiped his nose with a tissue.
Example
The dog sniffed around the room looking for food.
Example
She sniffed back tears as she listened to the sad story.

sniff Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for sniff

Phrases with sniff

sniff out
to find something by smelling it
Example
The dog was able to sniff out the drugs hidden in the suitcase.
sniff at
to show disapproval or contempt for something
Example
He sniffed at the idea of working for such a low salary.
sniff around
to look for something in a casual or sneaky way
Example
She was sniffing around the office, trying to find out who had been promoted.

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Summary: sniff in Brief

The verb 'sniff' [snɪf] has two main meanings. The first is to inhale air through the nose to detect or enjoy a scent, as in 'She sniffed the flowers to enjoy their fragrance.' The second is to make a short sound through the nose, often due to crying or having a cold, as in 'He sniffed and wiped his nose with a tissue.' 'Sniff' can also be used in phrases like 'sniff out,' meaning to find something by smelling it, and 'sniff at,' meaning to show disapproval or contempt for something.