Definition of sniff verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sniff

verb

/snɪf/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they sniff	/snɪf/ /snɪf/
he / she / it sniffs	/snɪfs/ /snɪfs/
past simple sniffed	/snɪft/ /snɪft/
past participle sniffed	/snɪft/ /snɪft/
-ing form sniffing	/ˈsnɪfɪŋ/ /ˈsnɪfɪŋ/

[intransitive] to breathe air in through your nose in a way that makes a sound, especially when you are crying, have a cold, etc.
- We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing.
- She sniffed a little and dabbed at her eyes.
Extra Examples
- The woman sniffed back her tears.
- He sniffed loudly and continued to weep.
- She sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- loudly
- deeply
- a little
- …
preposition
- at
See full entry
Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
[transitive, intransitive] to breathe air in through the nose in order to discover or enjoy the smell of something synonym smell
- sniff something sniffing the fresh morning air
- to sniff glue
- sniff (at something) The dog sniffed at my shoes.
- He sniffed appreciatively. ‘Smells delicious. What is it?’
see also glue-sniffing
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- loudly
- deeply
- a little
- …
preposition
- at
See full entry
[transitive, intransitive] + speech | sniff (something) to say something in a way that shows that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied or that you do not approve of somebody/something
- ‘It's hardly what I'd call elegant,’ she sniffed.