1
: to emit a strong offensive odor
stank of urine
2
: to be offensive
the election stank of corruption
also
: to be in bad repute
3
: to possess something to an offensive degree
stinking with wealth
4
: to be extremely bad or unpleasant
the performance stank
that news really stinks
Synonyms
Examples of stink in a Sentence
Verb
The food is good at that restaurant, but the service stinks.
Having a root canal stinks.
Noun
People raised a stink about the new law.
He kicked up a stink about the way he'd been treated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024
Column: Trump claims Beverly Hills residents stink.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
When the billions of bugs start to die and leave their carcasses behind, the accumulations can rot and stink in the rising spring temperatures, but even then, the cicadas are doing good.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
The state continues to stink at attracting new residents.
—Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2024
There, he’s got better money, better recruits, better facilities, better infrastructure, better opponents — and expectations through the stinking roof.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 2 Feb. 2024
Often compost piles are lacking carbon-rich brown matter (which is the number one cause for bugs and stink), so take advantage of this freebie that will balance your blend and give back to your garden for many growing seasons ahead.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024
Useful tip: Many anglers think of catfish as bottom-feeders that prefer cut bait or stink bait.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
At some point the thumping stopped, and the steam stink.
—Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024
When the nests are in wall cavities, as in your house, they can be left in place because the old nests aren’t reused and wasp nests don’t contain anything that’s likely to cause much of a stink.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Lingering stains and crumbs can kick up a stink that can be picked up by animals with sensitive noses and perhaps lead to campers having unwanted guests in the middle of the night.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Herman: There was a big stink from Fox about the music, which is so hilariously wrong.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2024
When old-heads like Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson made a stink about Beyoncé’s 2016 CMA performance with the Chicks, stars like Kenny Chesney and Blake Shelton rushed to her defense.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024
Losing stinks—and the what-ifs and could-have-beens in the postseason can be agonizing.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 12 Feb. 2024
To lose a game like that late in the season stinks.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 3 Jan. 2024
With the monster vanquished, the stink of evil can begin to be scrubbed away.
—Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2024
Verb
While its tamer options like Forest are nice in a Febreze sort of way, anyone sensitive to smell, like myself, might get a headache after a few whiffs of car stink.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024
Column: Trump claims Beverly Hills residents stink.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
When the billions of bugs start to die and leave their carcasses behind, the accumulations can rot and stink in the rising spring temperatures, but even then, the cicadas are doing good.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
The state continues to stink at attracting new residents.
—Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2024
There, he’s got better money, better recruits, better facilities, better infrastructure, better opponents — and expectations through the stinking roof.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 2 Feb. 2024
Often compost piles are lacking carbon-rich brown matter (which is the number one cause for bugs and stink), so take advantage of this freebie that will balance your blend and give back to your garden for many growing seasons ahead.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024
Useful tip: Many anglers think of catfish as bottom-feeders that prefer cut bait or stink bait.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
At some point the thumping stopped, and the steam stink.
—Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
Noun
The Febreze eliminates stink and replaces it with a pleasant aroma.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024
When the nests are in wall cavities, as in your house, they can be left in place because the old nests aren’t reused and wasp nests don’t contain anything that’s likely to cause much of a stink.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Lingering stains and crumbs can kick up a stink that can be picked up by animals with sensitive noses and perhaps lead to campers having unwanted guests in the middle of the night.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Herman: There was a big stink from Fox about the music, which is so hilariously wrong.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2024
When old-heads like Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson made a stink about Beyoncé’s 2016 CMA performance with the Chicks, stars like Kenny Chesney and Blake Shelton rushed to her defense.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024
Losing stinks—and the what-ifs and could-have-beens in the postseason can be agonizing.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 12 Feb. 2024
To lose a game like that late in the season stinks.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 3 Jan. 2024
With the monster vanquished, the stink of evil can begin to be scrubbed away.
—Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stink
Cite this Entry
“Stink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stink. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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