English · Phrasal verb Attested

sniff out

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

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

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Tìm thấy điều gì đó bằng cách sử dụng cảm giác mùi

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

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

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To detect (something hidden or invisible).

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Phát hiện ra điều gì đó bị ẩn hoặc vô hình

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

What does “sniff out” mean?

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

Is “sniff out” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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