sniff out

verb

1. tr, adverb to detect through shrewdness or instinct

Idioms and Phrases

Uncover, as If there's anything to that rumor, Gladys will sniff it out . This expression alludes to an animal sniffing for prey. [First half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

The author and contributing editor to Vanity Fair was searching for material to add to a new edition of her Babitz biography, “Hollywood’s Eve,” but wound up sniffing out an entirely new project.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s been riding the tide of public opinion for so long that he can sniff out a change in the current before anyone sees it.

From Salon

Bethany, however, is not so sure, and feels “humans are pretty good at sniffing out AI”.

From BBC

This was fine with me, because it was the big picture, after all, that she was sniffing out when she first made waves in 2012, as Spotify was just getting off the ground.

From Los Angeles Times

There are tools online that promise to sniff out fakes if you upload a file or paste a link to the suspicious material.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• ascertain
• bring to light
• drive out
• get at
• uncover
• unearth