skunkier; skunkiest
: having a rancid smell or taste suggestive of a skunk
skunky beer

Examples of skunky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The rest Stella Artois Liberté: This was a polarizing beer, with some liking its skunky notes, and others likening it to a green-bottled beer that’s been left out too long in the sun. Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024 Here’s a great piece from this week: Running along the trails that whipsaw through the oak forests of the Palo Alto hills, a reporter was hit with a musky, skunky smell that made the hair on her neck stand up. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Running along the trails that whipsaw through the oak forests of the Palo Alto hills, I was hit with a musky, skunky smell that made the hair on my neck stand up. Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 English ales were — and are — less bitter and skunky than modern American porters and ales thanks to different hops, Clark said. Leslie Shapiro, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2023 Real weed emits a complex combination of earthy, skunky, and sometimes fruity aromas. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 26 Aug. 2023 Some may gravitate towards the earthy and skunky smells associated with certain cannabis strains, while others may prefer the lighter and less pronounced scent profile offered by delta 8. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2023 Different strains produce different levels of skunky phenols and fruity esters. Jason P. Dinh, Discover Magazine, 4 Aug. 2022 Among recreational users, cannabis varieties that are skunk-forward are among the most popular formulations, making recipes that favor a skunky aroma valuable to cannabis companies. Madeline Bodin, Discover Magazine, 29 Jan. 2021

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

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skunky was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near skunky

Cite this Entry

“Skunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skunky. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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