stench

noun

1
: stink
2
: a characteristic repugnant quality
stenchful adjective
stenchy adjective

Examples of stench in a Sentence

the stench of rotting meat we finally discovered the dead rat that was causing the stench in the basement
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.
Yet Darnold’s final two games with the Vikings — especially his rocky effort in their first-round playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams — left a stench that has endured throughout the offseason, even as Darnold signed a hefty free-agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Michael Silver, New York Times, 19 June 2025 Officials reported finding cages of dead birds, a live cat and mice within the home, which also had a terrible stench. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025 People who live near the Salton Sea, many of them farmworkers, have complained for years that the stench, which tends to emerge most strongly in August and September, can give them headaches, nausea and nosebleeds. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025 The source of a mystery stench that has plagued Mount Dora residents and visitors for years may finally have been identified by consultants for the city and Lake County. James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for stench

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English stenc; akin to Old English stincan to emit a smell — more at stink

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of stench was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stench. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

stench

noun
: a very disagreeable smell : stink sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on stench

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