stink 1 of 2

noun

Definition of stinknext
1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell the stink of burned plastic lingered in the kitchen for days after we accidentally melted a spatula on the stove

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in objection
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent many town residents raised an unholy stink about the proposal to increase taxes yet again

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stink

2 of 2

verb

ˈstiŋk How to pronounce stink (audio)
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

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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
Florida's Jon Sumrall made quite a name for himself in Tampa last week during his inaugural spin as a head coach in the SEC, creating a bit of a stink on social media with his comments regarding a reporter's cell phone going off. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 First, to Lu Leccisu, which was all golden summer grasses, swaying in a stink that blew in from the waters of the nearby sewage treatment plant. — Angelica Calabrese, Longreads, 7 July 2026
Verb
No dirty carny putting his hands on you and stinking of whiskey. — New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026 Now the skunk is saying somebody else stinks, though the smell does lead to Infantino and this FFE plan. — Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stink
  1. stench
  2. objection
  3. smell
  4. suck
  5. exception
  6. reek
  7. complaint
  8. question
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
  • The sale has drawn objections from the flight attendants union and a software firm that says some of the data isn’t Spirit’s to sell.
    — Jeff Kleinma, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Collins, Scott, and Whitmer spent much of the past year and a half framing their objections as cautionary.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of objection
Verb
  • North Texas residents are seeing and smelling smoke because of a shift in wind direction from the Ross Fire, which has burned more than 80,000 acres in Palo Pinto and Jack counties.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Dogs slept outside and got baths every six months and sometimes disappeared for three days and then came home smelling like Paris Hilton circa 2003, and no one asked any questions.
    — Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of smell
Verb
  • In a flash, she was sucked upward, through the light and into an ethereal room without borders.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Among the many potential downsides for letting the national debt get too high was that the federal government would suck up so much capital that businesses wouldn’t be left with enough.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of suck
Noun
  • The law includes several exceptions, including certain vehicles, medical devices and other equipment.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The developers have sought an exception to rules around how much parking can front a nearby boulevard, and will be expected to provide extra landscaping and screening to buffer the parking from nearby properties.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of exception
Verb
  • The main barn had collapsed, the lodge reeked of pack rats, garter snakes had claimed another building, and one of the cabins was leaning downhill.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The Mystic of my childhood, though, had a modicum of edge — kids with anarchy symbols on their jackets skateboarded outside a coffee shop that reeked of weed, and locals got rowdy at a dysfunctional watering hole called the Draw Bridge Inne.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
Definition of reek
Noun
  • The singer’s complaint seeks a jury trial and compensatory damages of over $75,000.
    — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • When reached for comment on LeVota’s letter, which The Star obtained this week, Garza’s attorney Brianne Thomas called it an act of retaliation and provided a copy of Garza’s complaint to The Star.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of complaint
Noun
  • As Kevin Warsh thinks more hawkishly than expected in Washington, the answers to many of his questions may be in Seoul.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Although not quite as polished on the racial politics front, Lanterns’s third episode is no less intriguing, as an hour of television dedicated not only to answering pressing questions but fleshing out its lead character in disturbing ways.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of question

Phrases Containing stink

Browse Nearby Words

stingy
stink
stinkard
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Cite this Entry

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

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