whiffs 1 of 2

plural of whiff
as in hints
an almost imperceptible sign of something even a whiff of appreciation for everything I've done for her would have been nice

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whiffs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of whiff
as in smells
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose whiffed the pot of chili on the stove and announced that he was staying for dinner

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of whiffs
Noun
Cameron induced 58 swings and 17 whiffs, per Baseball Savant. Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026 Getty Images The MLB best home run bets have been in one of the longest droughts of the year, with eight straight whiffs on home run props. Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Peralta is eliciting whiffs at a career-worst rate, and a strikeout rate that used to sit above 30 percent has tumbled down to the league average this year. Tim Britton, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Opposite Roupp was the Brewers’ rookie right-hander Logan Henderson, who struck out seven and generated 15 whiffs over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 July 2026
Verb
Consider that a positive sign for a club that struggled last season with strikeouts and whiffs at its lowest points. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 Some mention of bonus bets that whiffs of free money. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026 World Baseball Classic Team USA whiffs Team USA lost 3-2 to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic title game Tuesday night. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 Both whiffs only further reminded me what a top-tier star Clooney used to be, and these staid recent efforts help meta-textually burnish Jay Kelly’s initial setup. David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2025 Given Eldridge’s offensive profile, there will likely always be a fair amount of strikeouts and whiffs in his game. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiffs
Noun
  • Robust cold-brew espresso is blended with a spirited kick of Fernie's Funnel Cake Cream Cocktail™, creating layers of deep coffee flavors and hints of vanilla.
    Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Do not retreat into hints and hope someone guesses correctly.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • No doubt that every time Harry smells a Diptyque candle around the house, memories of his late mother flood back.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The menu at Casa Marcial is inspired by the sensations, feelings, tastes, and smells that defined Manzano’s childhood in the Asturian hills.
    Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Though guests will love the home’s open-concept layout, gourmet kitchen, and modern touches, the great outdoors are the main draw.
    Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Overlooking the city and the Baltic Sea, the Presidential Suite includes touches like chandeliers and a private sauna.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Luz inserts the construction pole; Susana sniffs.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The look of sheer repressed, stymied rage/laughter on Raph’s face when Paul sniffs the Oreos instead is one of the episode’s biggest laughs.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • But take a closer look and the report actually provides glimmers of hope.
    TerDawn DeBoe, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • There were glimmers of form from Yoane Wissa (DR Congo) and Anthony Elanga (Sweden), both of whom need to hit the ground running in the coming season.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • The chemical is particularly tough on the human respiratory system and, depending on how much a person inhales, MMA can cause everything from sore throats and cough to dizziness, nausea and, at the highest levels, damage to the nervous system, Kleinman said.
    Sierra van der Brug, Oc Register, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • Since then, there were brief flickers from the likes of Paul Robinson or Rob Green, but there was a natural ceiling as to whom Leeds fielded as their goalkeeper when outside the top division of English football.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • These flickers included a merely steady revenue projection from chipmaker Broadcom on its most recent earnings call as well as a construction pause for a data center being built in Wyoming.
    Tobias Burns, CNBC, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whiffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiffs. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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