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.
But Parris came off after an hour, having struggled to implement England's press and having barely had a sniff at goal.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2025
And YouTube is nothing to sniff at: According to Nielsen, the platform attracts a greater share of streaming users than any other single platform, including Netflix.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2023
“India is working with great fervor with Israel on defense and technology, and Adani now has a port there. You think the Indian government can sniff at that?” said Bhaskar.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2023
Stray dogs wander across a disused dry dock and sniff at piles of rusted metal.
From New York Times • Aug. 19, 2022
Unnerved, I stand up, rip the jerky in half and toss a piece to both dogs—but they just sniff at it.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
![]()