1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell
a terrible reek coming from the garbage can
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reek
Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
This policy reeks of racial bias.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
When he was lugged in Saugus in 2011, reeking of cheap domestic lager, he was first told to turn off the engine in his unmarked MSP Crown Vic.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reek
Noun
The entire episode reeks of everlasting ineptitude.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
This policy reeks of racial bias.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Once Catalina was asleep, Pedro tossed his backpack, reeking of the day’s clothes, into the bedroom.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
When he was lugged in Saugus in 2011, reeking of cheap domestic lager, he was first told to turn off the engine in his unmarked MSP Crown Vic.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
Noun
-
Liao said other business owners in the strip mall have never complained about the stench.—
Alys Martinez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Scripted by Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie (partners in life and in filmmaking), these words of seduction are music to the ears of a lonely Gravedigger (Glowicki), who has been formulating a perfume to cover up her corpse-like stench.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Light-bloom torture-test shots of colorful objects against completely black backgrounds also produced significant haze that tapered off gradually across the screen.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The home here is a ramshackle London town house where a famed painter, Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen), is spending his final years in a haze of creative stagnation and lingering renown.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Booth visitors will be able to smell and look at plants from the Theodore Payne Foundation and learn how native plants can not only save water but also support local wildlife such as bees, birds and monarch butterflies.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Their flowers smell like tuna, and they're banned in numerous states.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Larger, even more capable actors, particularly Russia and China, may also take advantage of the fog of war to launch strikes themselves.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Glimmers of light broke the fog.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Glowicki stars as a lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Then there are the optics, and the optics stink.—
Matt Klink,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The cushions are crafted with a blend of polyester and cotton, and have a 3-inch depth that offers a cloud-like feel to keep you or guests comfortable for hours on end.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The low cloud ceiling made rotary-wing insertion difficult.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For Diptqyue, camellia oil is the star ingredient, with hair mist alternatives for many of their most popular scents, including Fleur de Peau.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Current conditions at O’Hare International Airport is fog and mist at 56 degrees.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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