stink bug

noun

variants or stinkbug

ˈstiŋk-ˌbəg 

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

… 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

Examples of stink bug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Outdoor Lighting Switch outdoor lights to yellow bulbs that are less attractive to stink bugs and other insects. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2026

In Cracks and Openings As temperatures drop in the fall, stink bugs will look for cracks and openings in your walls and doors in an attempt to get inside your home, Schrader says. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 2 Oct. 2026

Bats are invaluable in agriculture, gorging on pests that target crops — corn earworms, brown stink bugs, cucumber beetles and more. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stink bug

• debug
• humbug
• prodrug
• unplug
• antidrug
• mealybug
• multidrug
• chug
• doug
• drug
• dug
• hug

Kids Definition

stinkbug

noun

stink·​bug ˈstiŋk-ˌbəg 

: any of various true bugs that give off a bad smell