sniff
verb (used without object)
to draw air through the nose in short, audible inhalations.
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.
But when urine from a different cat was introduced, their interest rose again, and they spent more time sniffing.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
Now researchers are teaching it to smell, with the aim of sniffing out potential health concerns and even helping restore people’s lost sense of smell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
When Hindenburg Omens occur in clusters, they tend to be more effective at sniffing out near-term weakness.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
It upset some, with one commenter writing, “I’m sitting over here crying for Jackie and Shadow. And he’s off sniffing other feathers.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The way Old Rowdy was sniffing and looking, I couldn’t tell whether he was mad or scared.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
