sniff
verb (used without object)
to draw air through the nose in short, audible inhalations.
was sniffing
-
past progressiveof sniff.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“After the first few at-bats, he was sniffing a cycle, I think,” Roberts said, grinning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2024
Two minutes later, that dog was sniffing food all along the lowest shelf of the produce section and eating food off the floor.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2023
About 100 meters away, a chubby female polar bear was sniffing the air and walking toward the coast.
From Science Magazine ● Oct. 22, 2021
Next to her, an employee was sniffing the contents of a garment bag, one of hundreds that UPS and FedEx deliver to the warehouse each morning.
From New York Times ● Oct. 12, 2018
He was sniffing wetly, and Jinny was certain he was thinking of Deen.
From "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder
