smell

1 of 2

verb

smelled ˈsmeld How to pronounce smell (audio) or chiefly British smelt ˈsmelt How to pronounce smell (audio) ; smelling

transitive verb

1
: to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose
2
: to detect or become aware of as if by the sense of smell
I smell trouble
3
: to emit the odor of

intransitive verb

1
: to exercise the sense of smell
2
a(1)
: to have an odor or scent
(2)
: to have a characteristic aura or atmosphere : smack
the accounts … seemed to me to smell of truthR. S. Bourne
also : seem, appear
the story didn't smell right
b(1)
: to have an offensive odor : stink
(2)
: to be of bad or questionable quality
all this from the moral point of view smellsA. F. Wills
smeller noun

smell

2 of 2

noun

1
: the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor
2
a
: the process, function, or power of smelling
b
: the sense concerned with the perception of odor
3
a
: a very small amount : trace
add only a smell of garlic
b
: a pervading or characteristic quality : aura
the smell of affluence, of powerHarry Hervey
4
: an act or instance of smelling
Phrases
smell a rat
: to have a suspicion of something wrong
smell blood
: to sense an opponent's weakness or vulnerability
smell the roses
: to enjoy or savor life
Choose the Right Synonym for smell

smell, scent, odor, aroma mean the quality that makes a thing perceptible to the olfactory sense.

smell implies solely the sensation without suggestion of quality or character.

an odd smell permeated the room

scent applies to the characteristic smell given off by a substance, an animal, or a plant.

the scent of lilacs

odor may imply a stronger or more readily distinguished scent or it may be equivalent to smell.

a cheese with a strong odor

aroma suggests a somewhat penetrating usually pleasant odor.

the aroma of freshly ground coffee

Examples of smell in a Sentence

Verb She leaned over and smelled the flowers. I have a cold right now so I can't smell. I can't smell anything because I'm so stuffed up. I could smell dinner cooking. I think I smell gas. This car smells like mold. Can't you smell the profits? Noun the distinctive smell of onions Dogs have a keen sense of smell.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
And there is another multifaceted way in which birds exceed our standard human frames of reference and appear like strange and extraordinary creatures: in the sharpness of their senses, whether of hearing, sight or even smell. Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Once the fruit turns golden brown and begins to smell ripe, remove your pineapple with a sharp knife. Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 The air smells like Parmigiano and butter, the sound system is playing the Pointer Sisters. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2024 Our testing kids’ breath smelled good when they were done. Jessica Booth, Parents, 10 Mar. 2024 Kardashian superfans can now smell like Kylie Jenner with the debut of her first-ever signature scent. Ayesha Rajan, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 But her mom, Emer, smells danger brewing and sets off to find her. People Staff, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 The scent of a vegetarian Susanne Rust has a terrific story that examines the question: Do vegetarians smell different than meat eaters? Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Additionally, Holmes recommended avoiding any drops or lubricants that smell off, have particles inside, aren’t sealed, or are past their expiration date. Korin Miller, Health, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
The smell of cigarette smoke and fryer oil hang in the air and cling to weathered vinyl seats like raindrops on a window, evidence of years and years of clientele using the space. Korsha Wilson, Bon Appétit, 11 Mar. 2024 The smell of decaying corpses, human rights activists say, has driven some people from their homes. Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 According to police and prosecutors, when officers went to the home later on Feb. 28, they were immediately overwhelmed by the smell of natural gas. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 A lot of self tanners on the market have a weird smell, but Bondi Sands is known for its fresh coconut scent. Addie Morton, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024 The smell of jet fuel came off his unit as technicians carried off a boat afterward. Jon Gambrell, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 This could be a slightly sour smell or a slimy or gooey texture - both of which are indications that the rice may contain harmful bacteria. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024 Drivers still want the ‘smell and feel and noise’ of an Aston Martin Speaking to journalists following the release of annual earnings, Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll said EV demand hadn’t lived up to the expectations of analysts and politicians. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 29 Feb. 2024 Some people may be sensitive to things like the texture, smell or taste of food, while some might avoid eating because of previous traumatic events related to food like vomiting or choking. Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of smell was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near smell

Cite this Entry

“Smell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smell. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smell

1 of 2 verb
smelled ˈsmeld How to pronounce smell (audio) or smelt ˈsmelt How to pronounce smell (audio) ; smelling
1
: to become aware of an odor by means of the sense organs located in the nose
smell dinner cooking
2
: to detect or become aware of as if by the sense of smell
smell trouble
3
: to use the sense of smell
4
a
: to have or give off an odor
the candles smell like roses
b
: to have a disagreeable odor : stink
c
: to give a hint or trace of something
the plan smells of trickery
smeller noun

smell

2 of 2 noun
1
2
: the process or power of becoming aware of an odor
also : the sense by which one detects odor
3
: a special quality associated with a given source : aura
the smell of adventure
4
: an act of smelling

Medical Definition

smell

1 of 2 verb
smelled ˈsmeld How to pronounce smell (audio) or smelt ˈsmelt How to pronounce smell (audio) ; smelling

transitive verb

: to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose

intransitive verb

: to exercise the sense of smell

smell

2 of 2 noun
1
: the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor
2
: the special sense concerned with the perception of odor

More from Merriam-Webster on smell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!