# sniff

/ˈsnɪf/ (US) · /snˈɪf/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sniff
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to smell or breathe in

verb · CEFR B1

to breathe in air through your nose in a way that makes a sound, often to smell something.

For teachers: to inhale audibly through the nose, typically to perceive an odour or to clear the nasal passages.

- The dog started to sniff the grass as soon as we got to the park.
- The sommelier leaned over the glass to sniff the wine, searching for the subtle notes of oak and berry mentioned in the tasting guide.

### 2. to show contempt

verb · CEFR B2

to show that you do not respect something or think it is not good enough.

For teachers: to express contempt, disdain, or dismissal, often accompanied by an audible nasal inhalation.

- Critics might sniff at the new movie, but the public seems to love it.
- Traditionalists tend to sniff at modern architectural interventions in the historic district, viewing them as aesthetic disruptions rather than progress.

Usage: often used with the preposition 'at'

### 3. to monitor data

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to use a computer to look at information moving across a network.

For teachers: to intercept and analyse packets of data as they are transmitted over a digital network.

- Hackers can try to sniff your password if you use public Wi-Fi without a VPN.
- Network administrators use specialised tools to sniff traffic for signs of malicious activity or configuration errors that might cause latency.

### 4. to inhale drugs

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · British English

to breathe a drug in powder form up into your nose.

For teachers: to insufflate a powdered illicit substance, most commonly cocaine, through the nostrils.

- The documentary showed the dark side of people who sniff cocaine at parties.
- The undercover investigation revealed a network of individuals who would regularly sniff illegal substances in the club's private lounges.

### 5. an act of sniffing

noun · CEFR B1

the sound or action of breathing in through your nose.

For teachers: a single act of audible nasal inhalation.

- With a loud sniff, she wiped her eyes and tried to stop crying.
- The detective gave a suspicious sniff as he entered the room, immediately noticing the faint scent of gunpowder hanging in the air.

### 6. a small amount

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a very small amount of something, or a quick chance to see or smell it.

For teachers: a brief perception or a negligible quantity of something.

- I haven't had a sniff of a holiday since last summer.
- The rival company hasn't had a sniff of the market lead since the new software was released three years ago.

### 7. sound of crying

interjection · CEFR B2 · Informal

a word used in writing to show the sound of someone crying or smelling something.

For teachers: an onomatopoeic representation of a nasal inhalation, typically used in informal writing to denote sadness or suspicion.

- "I thought you forgot my birthday," she said. "Sniff."
- The script included the stage direction 'sniff' to indicate the character's burgeoning emotional distress during the final monologue.

## Examples

- The dog began to sniff the grass for a scent.
- She tried to hide her sadness, but a small sniff gave her away to her friends.
- The detective leaned down to sniff the air, hoping to catch a trace of the expensive perfume mentioned in the witness report.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.