Highly sensitive and selective detection of nitro containing high energy organic compounds such as picric acid (PA), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) has become a challenging task due to concerns over national security, criminal investigations and environment protections. Among various known detection methods, fluorescence sensors have gained special attention in recent time. The family of fluorescent sensors based on push-pull systems that incorporate nitrogen heterocycles as an electron-withdrawing group have a growing interest due to their high sensitivity, selectivity and easy tuning. The fluorescent sensors discussed in this review are classified and organized according to used azaheterocyclic scaffold, their functionality and their ability to detect of nitroaromatics by fluorescence quenching.