snuffle
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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an act or sound of breathing loudly through the nose.
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(the) snuffles, a condition of the nose, such as from a cold, causing a person to breath or draw mucus through the nostrils noisily.
-
a nasal tone of voice.
verb
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(intr) to breathe noisily or with difficulty
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to say or speak in a nasal tone
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(intr) to snivel
noun
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an act or the sound of snuffling
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a nasal tone or voice
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a condition characterized by snuffling
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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snufflesimple
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snufflessimple
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have snuffledperfect
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has snuffledperfect
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are snufflingprogressive
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am snufflingprogressive
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is snufflingprogressive
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have been snufflingperfect progressive
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has been snufflingperfect progressive
Past
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snuffledsimple
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had snuffledperfect
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was snufflingprogressive
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were snufflingprogressive
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had been snufflingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of snuffle
First recorded in 1575–85, for an earlier sense; 1595–1605, for the current sense; from Dutch snuffelen “to nose (in something),” literally, “to sniff repeatedly,” from snuffen “to sniff,” with -el-, frequentative infix; equivalent to snuff 1 ( def. ) + -le
Explanation
When you snuffle you breathe in a sniffly, stuffed-up way through your nose. People are most likely to snuffle when they're crying or have a bad cold. For some people, spring means warmer weather and pretty flowers, but for others it means their allergies make them snuffle and sneeze continuously. When you see a sad movie in a theater, you'll probably hear people snuffle all around you — and if you visit the zoo or a farm, you can watch animals snuffle, or sniff at things. The Old English version of snuffle is snofl, "phlegm or mucus."
Vocabulary lists containing snuffle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Snuffle and let that sense of curiosity and discovery waft pleasingly over your proboscis.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2025
Snuffle mats satisfy dogs’ instincts and stimulate their brains as they “hunt” for hidden treats.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2023
Injoya Vegetable Garden Snuffle Mat: This brain-boosting feeding/play mat stimulates your dog’s foraging instincts and keeps him busy and happy by mimicking the hunt.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 12, 2021
The Paw5 Snuffle Mat taps into a dog’s instinct to forage and plays on its keen sense of smell.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2021
The first person who spoke was Mr. Serjeant Snuffle.
From A Lecture On Heads As Delivered By Mr. Charles Lee Lewes, To Which Is Added, An Essay On Satire, With Forty-Seven Heads By Nesbit, From Designs By Thurston, 1812 by Thurston, Katherine Cecil
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
