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Showing results for sniffy. Search instead for sniffiest.
Synonyms

sniffy

American  
[snif-ee] / ˈsnɪf i /

adjective

Informal.
sniffier, sniffiest
  1. inclined to sniff, as in scorn; disdainful; supercilious.

    He was very sniffy about breaches of etiquette.


sniffy British  
/ ˈsnɪfɪ /

adjective

  1. informal contemptuous or disdainful

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of sniffy

First recorded in 1865–70; sniff + -y 1

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.

See Examples For:

The movie, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, overcame some sniffy early reviews and is now regarded as a classic for the studio, whose subsequent “Spirited Away” won the Oscar for animation in 2003.

From New York Times Nov. 3, 2022

But they have been pretty sniffy about the likelihood of it happening.

From BBC Sep. 29, 2022

It is unclear whether the president, known to be sniffy about Ivy League educations, was aware of the difference.

From Salon Oct. 2, 2020

The other day at Starbucks, I watched strangers swipe at sniffy noses with their fists, the punch-drunk fighters of midwinter.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 16, 2020

“All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors,” said Hermione in a sniffy voice.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

Now, it’s schooling those sniffier schools on how to reopen safely.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 21, 2020

Photograph: Adrian Roger/BBC It should of course be "Football AM" – an insuperable barrier for the sniffier sports fan.

From The Guardian Dec. 21, 2012

Even the sniffiest film snobs love a good, old-fashioned popcorn movie — especially when it’s shown at a good, old-fashioned drive-in theater.

From Washington Post Jun. 4, 2015

To that end, the Federation analyzes 35,000 samples of coffee a year domestically and worldwide to ensure that the Colombian coffee being produced will pass muster with even the sniffiest of coffee snobs.

From Salon May 13, 2013

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