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niff

niff

1 9.9
An unpleasant strong smell that comes from old or dirty things
  • noun
  • /nɪf/
  • UK
translation icon : hedor

Examples

  • You want to rat a niff?

  • Oh, what a niff!

  • The kitchen had a strong niff of burnt food after the mishap.

  • She wrinkled her nose at the niff coming from the old garbage can.

  • After a long hike, there was a niff in the air from the damp soil.

Synonyms

stink
vsniff
111 1.1

A very bad smell that people dislike

often points specifically to stale or offensive origins rather than any bad smell
pong
vsniff
  • UK
108 8.0

A strong, unpleasant smell that makes you wrinkle your nose

leans more toward smells that are stale or offensive in origin
stench
vsniff
80 3.5

A very bad strong smell that makes you feel sick

tends to focus on stale or offensively old smelling sources
fug
vsniff
  • Literature
1 9.9

Stuffy, smoky air in a room that feels unpleasant to breathe

focuses more on single stale or offensive smells than whole room atmospheres
malodor
vsniff
  • US
1 8.9

A strong unpleasant smell that people find offensive

leans toward smells that are stale or damp rather than any bad smell
foulness
vsniff
1 7.2

A strong, very bad smell from sewage or rotten garbage

is more tied to stale or offensive-smelling things rather than general bad odor
rankness
vsniff
1 9.0

A very strong bad smell that makes you feel sick

is used more for smells that are stale or suggest decay
stinkiness
vsniff
1 4.3

A strong unpleasant smell that makes people move away

is used more for smells that are stale or offensively old rather than any bad smell
mustiness
vsniff
1 7.2

A stale, slightly moldy smell or taste in old damp things

is about stale or offensive smells but can be less specifically mouldy
fetidness
vsniff
8.4

A very strong unpleasant smell that makes people feel sick

is more about stale or offensive smells rather than sheer shock value
8.9

A strong, unpleasant smell that is easy to notice

is used more for smells that are stale or offensively old
whiffy odor
vsniff
  • Informal
7.4

A strong, unpleasant smell that people dislike

is more about stale or offensively old smelling sources than general bad smells
yucky smell
vsniff
  • Informal
5.6

A strong, nasty smell like rotten food that makes you feel sick

is more often used for smells that are stale or offensively old
must
vsniff
  • Archaic
9.1

A bad, stale smell from old, damp things

is similar but covers stale or offensive smells more broadly
fust
vsniff
  • Archaic
9.9

A stale, musty smell from old wood or damp rooms

is broader, covering stale or offensive smells beyond wood or dampness
fustiness
vsniff
8.6

A stale, musty smell in a room or object

is more about stale or offensively old smells rather than simply old-fashioned scent

Antonyms

83 2.6

A pleasant sweet smell from flowers or perfume

74 1.6

A pleasant smell that often comes from food, drink, or flowers

How Smelly

reek
8 6.1
stink
111 1.1
niff
  • UK
1 9.9
odor
  • US
145 1.9
whiff
60 3.2

Surface Forms

niff singular
niffs plural

Etymology

The word niff is like the common word sniff — imagine quickly sniffing something and finding a bad smell, so niff means an unpleasant, often stale or offensive 'smell'.