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
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
Sean Gentille, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The big problem What few people talk about is that California stinks at attracting new residents from other states.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
But even with his strong 2025 performance, Winters doesn’t have the clout to make a stink about a contract extension.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stink
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Verb
Parking can stink, and transit can stink, and the music choices can stink.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The big problem What few people talk about is that California stinks at attracting new residents from other states.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
The stink from the second apartment led one neighbor to place an air purifier in the hallway.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
But even with his strong 2025 performance, Winters doesn’t have the clout to make a stink about a contract extension.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stink
Cite this Entry
“Stink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stink. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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