snuffle

American  

[snuhf-uhl] / ˈsnʌf əl /

verb (used without object)

snuffled, snuffling

1. to draw air into the nose for the purpose of smelling something; snuff.

2. to draw the breath or mucus through the nostrils in an audible or noisy manner; sniffle.

3. to speak through the nose or with a nasal twang.

4. to whine; snivel.

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verb (used with object)

snuffled, snuffling

1. to utter in a nasal tone.

noun

1. an act or sound of breathing loudly through the nose.

2. (the) snuffles, a condition of the nose, such as from a cold, causing a person to breath or draw mucus through the nostrils noisily.

3. a nasal tone of voice.

snuffle British  

/ ˈsnʌfəl /

verb

1. (intr) to breathe noisily or with difficulty

2. to say or speak in a nasal tone

3. (intr) to snivel

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noun

1. an act or the sound of snuffling

2. a nasal tone or voice

3. a condition characterized by snuffling

Other Word Forms

• snuffler noun
• snufflingly adverb
• snuffly adjective

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

Example Sentences

Other days, the project manager will play with her pup at home or throw a few treats in a snuffle mat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2025

They invited a winsome six-month-old piglet named Wilma to snuffle around in the mini-meadow, which she did with tremendous focus and energy, transfixing her audience.

From New York Times • Sep. 23, 2022

And deer release their feces as they feed, creating conditions where other deer might forage in areas contaminated with waste, or snuffle around waste that has feed mixed in, experts say.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2022

Wild boar snuffle through rusted playgrounds, and kindergarten napping areas are scattered with wide-eyed, broken dolls, thick with radioactive dust.

From Slate • Sep. 26, 2014

I glanced at Oso, who side-eyed me suspiciously from his dog bed and then put his head back down with a snuffle.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• bark
• growl
• grunt
• mumble
• mutter