sniffed out
Found by investigating
To sniff out something is to discover it through persistent investigation, like a dog following a scent: Reporters sniffed out the scandal.
The phrase suggests uncovering what's hidden or not immediately obvious.
Sniffed out is the past tense: She sniffed out the truth about his past.
- picked upTook hold of
- sensedBecame aware through perception
- foundDiscovered or established
- nosedInvestigated by sniffing
- nosed aroundInvestigated others' affairs uninvited
examined · perceived · detected · smelled · uncovered · unearthed · pinpointed · tracked · tracked down · sussed · inferred · ferreted · exposed · identified · probed · sleuthed · located · intuited
sniffed outstumbled upon
Found unexpectedly
stumbled across · chanced upon · happened upon · fell into · bumped into
sniffed outconcealed
Made invisible deliberately
hid · covered up · buried · suppressed · obscured
sniffed outmissed
Failed to reach
overlooked · passed over · let slip · ignored · let slide