reek 1 of 2

noun

ˈrēk How to pronounce reek (audio)
Definition of reeknext
1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell a terrible reek coming from the garbage can

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in haze
an atmospheric condition in which suspended particles in the air rob it of its transparency couldn't see through the reek of smog and smoke surrounding the steel plant

Synonyms & Similar Words

reek

2 of 2

verb

as in to smell
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell those old sneakers reek something awful

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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 reek
Noun
This dumb contest reeks of the clueless, insensitive ways of the past. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026 This isn't to say America doesn't have problems, or that both political parties aren't far too polarized – but this kind of negativity reeks of ignorance and hubris. — Nicole Russell, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Verb
Similarly, the 1979 closing of the reeking Koppers coke plant, west of Hamline Avenue along what is now Energy Park Drive, changed some Midway property values. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 14 June 2026 His shirt reeked of the flowery-formaldehyde tartness of mothballs pickling dress pockets in a closet. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
  1. stench
  2. haze
  3. smell
  4. fog
  5. stink
  6. cloud
  7. mist
Noun
  • After the smoke subsided, residents reported feeling effects from the stench of rotting meat and food from the warehouse interior, where it had been stored frozen on tall racks that were hundreds of feet across.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Cleanup efforts, meanwhile, were continuing at the Lineage Logistics food-storage warehouse following the massive June 17 fire, with the stench of rotting food and pest problems disrupting the surrounding neighborhood, according to reports.
    — City News Service, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of stench
Noun
  • Officers followed the sounds of the gunfire to another floor, where a smoky haze limited their visibility.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The chip produced minimal haze and did not noticeably distort images viewed through it, suggesting that the material could work in optical systems placed directly in front of the eye.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of haze
Verb
  • Speaking of foul-smelling things, where would humanity be without the now Ig Nobel–winning knowledge of what happens to 1,000 pairs of underpants buried for months at sites around the globe?
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Yet the compounds that give lemon, pine, thyme, and lavender their scents aren’t produced by plants to make nature smell clean.
    — Mike McRae September 03, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of smell
Noun
  • This horror movie mostly just smelled of fake fog from a community theater production and occasionally you were startled by random bursts of air, once again pulling you from the events on screen.
    — Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Tech has crept into every facet of everyday life, like an invisible fog of ones and zeros.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fog
Verb
  • As the legislative session comes to a close over the next few days, Newsom is in the kitchen, stirring a foul chowder that stinks along the state’s entire 1,200-mile coast.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Imagine answering the call of nature in a dark, stinking chamber alongside dozens of strangers, all while making pleasant conversation.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of stink
Noun
  • The second jet, which was right behind, flew through a cloud of pink dust that shot up from the stadium roof as part of the pregame show.
    — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The most common type of cloud seeding used in the United States is almost all done in Western states, according to University of Illinois emeritus professor of climate, meteorology and atmospheric sciences Robert Rauber.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cloud
Noun
  • Once considered a superfluous step, face mists have since become a more purposeful—and enjoyable—part of our skin care routines.
    — Jenny Jin, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The ultra-fine mist distributes evenly and leaves a natural, skin-like finish.
    — Mickey Williams, Flow Space, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of mist

Browse Nearby Words

reefs
reek
reeked
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Cite this Entry

“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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