Phrase guide

sniff test

noun · 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsnɪf tɛst/
  • General-American: /ˈsnɪf ˌtɛst/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An inspection of an object by smelling it, as for cleanliness of clothing or freshness of food.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nose test, smell test

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An inspection of an object by smelling it, as for cleanliness of clothing or freshness of food.

An informal check of whether an idea or proposal is credible, ethical, etc., using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: reality check, sanity check, sanity test
  • But does it pass the sniff test?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nose test, smell test, reality check, sanity check, sanity test

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A medical procedure involving a person taking quick, short sniffs which cause contraction of the diaphragm during a fluoroscopy, enabling abnormalities of the diaphragm to be detected; diaphragm fluoroscopy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From sniff (noun) + test (noun).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: hajukoe — inspection of an object by smelling it
  • Finnish: mutu-testi — informal check of whether an idea or proposal is credible, ethical, etc., using one’s common sense or sense of propriety
  • Finnish: nopeaa sisäänhengitystä käyttävä testi — medical procedure involving a person taking quick, short sniffs which cause contraction of the diaphragm during a fluoroscopy