smelly

adjective

ˈsme-lē 

smellier; smelliest

: having a smell

especially : malodorous

smelly socks

Synonyms of smelly

• stinking
• stinky
• ripe
• malodorous
• foul
• disgusting
• filthy
• fetid
• rotting
• reeking
• musty
• rotted
• strong
• fusty
• dirty

Examples of smelly in a Sentence

I don't like smelly cheese.

your smelly sneakers are enough to raise the dead

Recent Examples on the Web

Westminster’s smelly and musty water is still safe to drink, city officials said. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026

The duo wants to be there for the good, the bad, and the questionably smelly while sprinkling some happy-go-lucky magic over all of it. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026

Instead, here’s how to make your house smell good with these tricks to tackle smelly odors in your home and promote pleasant scents. — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026

Through the trading company Suzuki Shoten, the smelly oil was originally exported to Europe, where it was turned into a solid, odorless fat through a process called hydrogenation. — Pei-Hsu Lin, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for smelly

• belly
• deli
• jelly
• kellie
• melly
• nellie
• nelly
• shelly
• skelly
• smellie
• tele
• telly

Kids Definition

smelly

adjective

ˈsmel-ē 

smellier; smelliest

: having a smell and especially a bad smell

smelly socks