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
Steve Buckley, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
The 2000s babies reeked of youth.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Noun
This one-year penance business reeks of score-settling, petty grudges and arm-twisting.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
The 2000s babies reeked of youth.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
Noun
-
The low-down dive bar is draped in painterly shadows inspired by Renaissance masters, the stale cigarette stench palpable.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The sheets will absorb the stench while adding a pleasant scent.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The scenes where Robert is together with Gladys and their young child have warm lighting or the haze of golden hour.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Youngblood wasn’t the type of Vegas gambler who quickly lost money amid a haze of champagne and neon lights.—
Matthew Bremner,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These are the areas where, as Solodko explains, perishables interact, and smells can happen.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Pine-Sol can get rid of tough stains and smells such as grease and unpleasant odors on athletic gear for clothing that seems good as new.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Feb. 2026
-
There will also be a bit of patchy fog.—
Andrew Kozak,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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My secret to being stink-free while traveling is Lululemon’s Silverescent technology that keeps odor-causing bacteria at bay.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
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Even for those who celebrate, the pressure to deliver the picture-perfect night can — quite frankly — stink.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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What piles up now melts gradually through spring and summer, feeding rivers, farms, and household taps long after the clouds clear.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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Carnegie Mellon was building a big initiative for an academic cloud lab—$50 million of equipment controlled by a mix of people and robots—and the interface would be via code.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Athena Club’s latest launch—body mists—perform really well given their under-$20 price tag.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
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Respiratory benefits The hot mist that forms when water hits a shower steamer may provide respiratory benefits.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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