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
NBC news, 21 Dec. 2025
Indianapolis' decision to roll with Rivers reeks of desperation.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025
Jeanne Malle, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
What initially reeked of hometown fantasy appears to have real legs.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Noun
And this issue kind of reeks of that.
—NBC news, 21 Dec. 2025
Indianapolis' decision to roll with Rivers reeks of desperation.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025
Verb
The bathroom reeked of mold, its windowless walls preventing damp towels from ever fully drying.
—Jeanne Malle, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
What initially reeked of hometown fantasy appears to have real legs.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
Noun
-
The stench of corruption might become so overwhelming that a revolted electorate rejects the entire enterprise.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Last year, residents in the majority-Black community of Boxtown in South Memphis testified at public hearings about a rotten egg-like stench in the air, and the impact of worsening smog on their heart and lung health.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But luckily for everyone marveling at JWST’s crisp snapshots of faraway galaxies, this dense haze is totally invisible.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Directed by Joel Thompson, the centuries-old tale of demons, magic spells and a deal with the devil is brought to life with special effects and theatrical stage haze.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The best hair perfumes can make your strands smell as good as the rest of you, without committing to a full wash day.—
Andrea Navarro,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
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Near the end of her speech, a man in the front row jumped up and ran towards her before spraying her shirt with a syringe of an unknown, strong-smelling substance, according to C-SPAN footage.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Farmers week often brings out the rain, wind and fog in a place most people think of as perpetually sunny and 72.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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There is also a potential for freezing fog in North and Central Texas for Tuesday and Wednesday morning, according to NWS.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Dolphins have stunk lately in weather like this.—
Greg Cote
January 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Over time, your house will start to stink if squirrels are using your attic as a litter box.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The image appears to show Ketter moving through a cloud of tear gas during a demonstration following the killing of Alex Pretti, which happened just minutes away from his store.—
Nick Lunemann,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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That leaves them out of pocket, at risk of reputational damage and in danger of losing customers who blame them, rather than the cloud services provider, for the problem.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And then those pink shrubs with their little flowers, blossoming like islands of pink mist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Cradled by rugged cliffs and rolling surf, Baker Beach offers one of San Francisco’s most iconic vistas—where the Golden Gate Bridge rises from the mist, its vermilion towers glowing against the horizon.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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