STINKING Synonyms: 285 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'stinking' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of stinking are fetid , fusty , malodorous , musty , noisome , putrid , and rank . While all these words mean "bad-smelling," stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting. // prisoners were held in stinking cells // the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

Q: How are the words 'fusty' and 'musty' related as synonyms of 'stinking'?

Both fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age. // a fusty attic // the musty odor of a damp cellar

Q: Where would 'malodorous' be a reasonable alternative to 'stinking'?

The words malodorous and stinking are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive. // malodorous fertilizers

Q: When might 'noisome' be a better fit than 'stinking'?

Although the words noisome and stinking have much in common, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive. // a stagnant, noisome sewer

Q: When is it sensible to use 'putrid' instead of 'stinking'?

The synonyms putrid and stinking are sometimes interchangeable, but putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter. // the putrid smell of rotting fish

Q: When is 'rank' a more appropriate choice than 'stinking'?

In some situations, the words rank and stinking are roughly equivalent. However, rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell. // rank cigar smoke

stinking 1 of 3

adjective

ˈstiŋ-kiŋ

Definition of stinking

as in smelly

having an unpleasant smell came home from their trip to find stinking garbage that had been left in the kitchen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in drunk

slang being under the influence of alcohol warned her husband not to come home stinking—or he'd be sleeping on the couch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stinking

2 of 3

adverb

as in damn

to a great degree a huge, showy house that screams, "We're stinking rich!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stinking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of stink

as in reeking

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in sucking

to be objectionable or unsatisfactory their team really stinks this year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stinking distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of stinking are fetid, fusty, malodorous, musty, noisome, putrid, and rank. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells

the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

How are the words fusty and musty related as synonyms of stinking?

Both fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic

the musty odor of a damp cellar

Where would malodorous be a reasonable alternative to stinking?

The words malodorous and stinking are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

When might noisome be a better fit than stinking?

Although the words noisome and stinking have much in common, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

When is it sensible to use putrid instead of stinking?

The synonyms putrid and stinking are sometimes interchangeable, but putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

When is rank a more appropriate choice than stinking?

In some situations, the words rank and stinking are roughly equivalent. However, rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

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 stinking

Adjective

This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled. — Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019 Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen. — Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019

Verb

And not some stinking Bradford pears. — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026 Nix can sling it with Sam Darnold all stinking day. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stinking

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinking

Adjective

There was a wide stone wall on which someone had placed a row of ripe quinces from a nearby tree.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Le is particularly fond of the store’s Thai green bananas, which remain bright green even when fully ripe and develop an intensely sweet flavor.

— Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of ripe

Verb

Artists may have loved the old Gowanus, reeking green canal and all, but who would pay luxury rents to live in the new one?

— Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
The meteorite hurtled over the east coast before crash-landing in a house in Hillsborough, New Jersey where the homeowner found it, reeking of sulfur.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of reeking

Verb

Among the hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets in France on Tuesday were Paolina and Violette, eighteen and seventeen years old, arguing politely with a white-haired man sucking apple juice from a juice box.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026
Deadline has established that several top producers have declined to throw their hat into the ring, with many citing concerns about the lack of rights and the production contract sucking creative energy away from other projects.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of sucking

Adjective

Stop at Callicoon Wine Merchant for a bottle paired with a stinky cheese on their sunny patio.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
These repellents are made of stinky smells and bad flavors that deer do not like, like potassium sorbate, whole egg solids, thyme oil, garlic, and sodium lauryl sulfate.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of stinky

Adjective

The drunken Ken spends his time on such things as warbling a karaoke version of a 4 Non Blondes song while an unkempt Ryu is a purveyor of ramen so bad even a stray cat won’t eat it.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
The film features drunken sing-alongs and dancing with abandon in the family kitchen.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of drunken

Adverb

The Rolling Stones, down to two original members, have released their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, and most of it is pretty damned good.

— David Harris, SPIN, 6 July 2026
But Cleveland State was, in fact, a damned good basketball team, as were most of the double-digit seed winners in NCAA Tournament history.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026

Definition of damned

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stinkers

stinking

stinking up

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“Stinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinking. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stinking

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