stink bug
noun
variants
or stinkbug
plural stink bugs or stinkbugs
: any of various hemipterous bugs (family Pentatomidae) that have a flattened, shield-shaped body with a triangular scutellum, emit a disagreeable odor when threatened, disturbed, or crushed, and include agricultural and household pests
The Maryland organic farmer is suffering from an infestation of stink bugs—crop-consuming pests emitting the odor of cilantro mixed with burned rubber and dirty socks.—
Heather Haddon
Heather Haddon… Jay McPherson of nearby Southern Illinois University has recorded fifty kinds of stinkbugs from the Pine Hills; possibly the region now deserves the unenviable title of "Stinkbug Capital of the World."—Robert H. Mohlenbrock
Robert H. MohlenbrockExamples of stink bug in a Sentence
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Protect your home this fall by sealing hidden entry points so the mice, spiders, and stink bugs can’t settle in for winter.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
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Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stink bug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stink%20bug. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stinkbug
noun
stink·bug
ˈstiŋk-ˌbəg 
: any of various true bugs that give off a bad smell
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