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Sniffling: meaning, definitions and examples

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sniffling

 

[ ˈsnɪf.lɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

sounding or crying

Sniffling refers to the act of inhaling through the nose in a noisy manner, typically due to a cold, allergies, or crying. It can indicate sadness or discomfort.

Synonyms

snuffling, sobbing

Examples of usage

  • She was sniffling after watching the sad movie.
  • The child kept sniffling due to his cold.
  • I heard him sniffling in the corner during the sad story.
  • He tried to hide his feelings but couldn't stop sniffling.

Translations

Translations of the word "sniffling" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sniflando

🇮🇳 नाक से आँसू बहाना

🇩🇪 schniefend

🇮🇩 mendengus

🇺🇦 плаксивий

🇵🇱 szczekanie

🇯🇵 すすり泣き

🇫🇷 sanglotant

🇪🇸 sollozando

🇹🇷 hıçkırarak

🇰🇷 흐느끼는

🇸🇦 تنهد

🇨🇿 štkání

🇸🇰 štkajúci

🇨🇳 抽泣

🇸🇮 zavijanje

🇮🇸 snýra

🇰🇿 жылау

🇬🇪 ბრახუნი

🇦🇿 hıçqırtma

🇲🇽 sollozando

Etymology

The word 'sniffling' is derived from the verb 'sniff', which dates back to the 14th century, relating to the act of drawing air through the nose with a noise. The suffix '-ling' is added to denote a diminutive or engaging in the action of sniffling, which intensifies the sense of sound associated with the act. 'Sniff' itself comes from Middle Dutch 'snuffeln', which means to snuff or to inhale audibly. The emergence of 'sniffling' emphasizes the emotional aspect of the act, often linked to crying or respiratory irritation. Over time, its usage expanded to denote not just the physical act but also the emotional state associated with it, particularly in literary contexts, where a character's sniffling might indicate sadness or vulnerability.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,443 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.