sniff at

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.

What he lacked was a modicum of a chance, a sniff at goal.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

The child of today, spoiled for choice in targeted programming, might sniff at the old shows, but a CGI “Pufnstuf,” which happily no one has proposed, would be all but pointless, and potentially depressing.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2023

City’s star striker Erling Haaland, meanwhile, was kept quiet throughout and never had a sniff at goal.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 8, 2023

Stray dogs wander across a disused dry dock and sniff at piles of rusted metal.

From New York Times • Aug. 19, 2022

I dropped my nose down to sniff at his fur.

From "The Honest Truth" by Dan Gemeinhart