Phrase guide

sniff out

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To find (something) by using the sense of smell.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Because they have far more powerful noses than humans, dogs are ideal to sniff out drugs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To detect (something hidden or invisible).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: ferret out, weasel out

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ferret out, weasel out

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

recognize or detect by or as if by smelling

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He can smell out trouble

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scent out, smell out, nose out

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: يَشُمّ (yašumm) — find something using smell
  • Arabic: يَكْتَشِف (yaktašif) — find something using smell
  • Arabic: عَثَر عَلَى (ʕaṯar ʕalā) — find something using smell
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嗅出 (xiùchū) — find something using smell
  • Finnish: nuuskia — find something using smell
  • Hungarian: kiszimatol — find something using smell
  • Japanese: 嗅ぎ付ける (kagitsukeru) — find something using smell
  • Polish: węszyć — find something using smell
  • Polish: wywęszyć — find something using smell
  • Polish: niuchać — find something using smell
  • Polish: wyniuchać — find something using smell
  • Portuguese: farejar — find something using smell
  • Russian: выню́хивать (vynjúxivatʹ) — find something using smell
  • Russian: вы́нюхать (výnjuxatʹ) — find something using smell
  • Chinese Mandarin: 找出 (zhǎochū) — find
  • Hungarian: kiszimatol — find
  • Italian: trovare — find
  • Italian: scovare — find
  • Japanese: 嗅ぎ付ける (kagitsukeru) — find
  • Polish: węszyć — find
  • Polish: wywęszyć — find
  • Polish: niuchać — find
  • Polish: wyniuchać — find
  • Portuguese: farejar — find
  • Russian: выню́хивать (vynjúxivatʹ) — find
  • Russian: вы́нюхать (výnjuxatʹ) — find
  • Russian: разню́хивать (raznjúxivatʹ) — find
  • Russian: разню́хать (raznjúxatʹ) — find