stink 1 of 2

stink

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to smell
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to suck
to be objectionable or unsatisfactory their team really stinks this year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stink
Noun
When Cher eventually won the trophy, her Best Actress competition Sally Kirkland (second row, seventh from right), who’s rocking a fuschia get-up, would notoriously be caught on-camera making a stink face at the envelope reveal, perhaps given high hopes by her surprise Golden Globe win for Anna. Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025 When dirty, odor-emitting clothes are left on the floor or in the hamper for days on end, their stink will spread throughout your closet. Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
Why parents love it: Besides being really stinking cute, Puffin Rock introduces basic science concepts and teaches kids about respecting the environment. Anna Earl, Parents, 26 Mar. 2025 The film is a campy, lo-fi riff on the Frankenstein story and follows a lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stink
Noun
  • Ashley stayed by his side through it all, past the altar and into the reunion, but the stench of the scandal never really dissipated.
    Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 5 May 2025
  • Members of the Swiss Guard became sick and even fainted as the stench traveled, according to reports.
    Angela Andaloro, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • With Republicans going it alone, over the objections of Democrats in the House and Senate critical of the tax package as a giveaway to the rich that will hurt Americans who depend on federal services, leaders will need almost every Republican on board.
    Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025
  • It was never sold in the U.S. thanks to the unwavering objections of a resolute reviewer at the FDA named Frances Oldham Kelsey.
    David Armstrong, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Some smelled it, licked it, or took tiny nibbles around the edges.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025
  • That’s especially true in today’s highly supervised childhoods, where many young kids’ sights, smells, and tastes are entirely prescribed by adults.
    Faran Krentcil, The Atlantic, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • That’s the fun thing for me, is there’s no reason the next one couldn’t suck back in and be a chamber piece again.
    Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022
  • Despite its appearance, the hummingbird’s tongue doesn't suck up nectar like a drinking straw.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
Noun
  • Asking for fairness, the state workers who gathered outside the Caltrans headquarters across from the Capitol delivered a petition, urging the department to reconsider allowing exceptions to the telework policy.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 16 May 2025
  • Judge Florence Pan pressed Graver to explain why the Federal Reserve should be carved out as an exception to boards Trump should have control over, but the labor boards should not.
    Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • On a freezing afternoon in mid-February, the entire house reeked of nail-polish remover.
    Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
  • The move reeked of desperation, as the Panthers aren’t the kind of team that is going to blow a multiple-goal lead in the postseason very often.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The complaint says a 58-year-old woman showed up at AdventHealth TimberRidge ER in Ocala with chills, fever and numbness in her hands and face.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 May 2025
  • According to a separate report released Thursday by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund, which utilizes BTS data, complaints against U.S. airlines over delays soared to a record 66,675 in 2024, a nearly 9 percent increase over 2023.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics?You can submit them here or send me an email atrdmorin@usatoday.com.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • Of course, there are legitimate questions about why Awoniyi was asked, or instructed, to return to the pitch.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stink. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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