malodorous

adjective

mal·​odor·​ous ˌmal-ˈō-də-rəs How to pronounce malodorous (audio)
1
: having a bad odor
a malodorous mixture of chemicals
2
: highly improper
malodorous practices and chicanery in high financial placesNew Republic
malodorously adverb
malodorousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for malodorous

malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, fusty, musty mean bad-smelling.

malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

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

Examples of malodorous in a Sentence

the cellar will need to be cleared of several malodorous piles of garbage
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Gary Oldman remains as delightful as ever as the malodorous but brilliant Jackson Lamb. Erik Kain, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Its leaves release a malodorous smell when trod upon and so served as a strewing herb. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024 But, if this isn’t enough to drive away the predators, the malodorous animals play dead. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024 The canal still carries sewage, mixed with rainwater, away from the city on a malodorous, 29-mile course. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for malodorous 

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of malodorous was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near malodorous

Cite this Entry

“Malodorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malodorous. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

malodorous

adjective
mal·​odor·​ous (ˈ)mal-ˈōd-ə-rəs How to pronounce malodorous (audio)
: having a bad smell
malodorously adverb
malodorousness noun

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