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
Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025
Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Return to office: Some federal workers say Trump’s frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago while ordering government employees back to the office reeked of hypocrisy.
—Josh Feldman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Noun
Her mother’s pullets were raised clean on a green yard, on a menu of crushed corn and wayward bugs, not manufactured in the crowd and reek of a modern-day factory farm, fattened on fish meal.
—Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025
Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
And her apology to Trump voters reeked of corporate cajoling.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Return to office: Some federal workers say Trump’s frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago while ordering government employees back to the office reeked of hypocrisy.
—Josh Feldman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
Noun
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Listen to the fans thrumming above, passing the stench of death between rooms.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
13 May 2025
-
One persistent theory was that plants produce these compounds passively, through oxidation of more common precursor chemicals, or that these plants partner with bacteria to produce their stenches.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
8 May 2025
Noun
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That cut fastball in the heart of the strike zone is the one Cal Raleigh hit through the haze to the seats beyond left field to give the Mariners the lead.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 May 2025
-
And so, aviation mayhem ensues, as Lucas fights off a coterie of bad guys through a haze of drugs and liquor.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Some smelled it, licked it, or took tiny nibbles around the edges.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2025
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That’s especially true in today’s highly supervised childhoods, where many young kids’ sights, smells, and tastes are entirely prescribed by adults.—
Faran Krentcil,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
The views of rooftops, treetops, and (if the fog cooperates) the Bay are nothing short of cinematic.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Zero visibility strategy: In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2025
Verb
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These large, flashy flowers—also known as titan arum—are famous for producing a pungent odor that stinks like rotting flesh.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 Apr. 2025
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JuJu Watkins' injury is a defining moment for No. 1 seed USC Mississippi State condemns backlash at team after Watkins' injury Watkins injury changes March Madness, and that simply stinks | Opinion Real quick Ben Affleck breaks his silence about the end of Bennifer 2.0.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The rain and clouds will result in even cooler temperatures.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2025
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Then there’s the ocean merging with the western clouds.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Instead, lean into nourishment—hydrating mists, lightweight moisturizers, and mineral sunscreens are all safe bets.—
Sarah Kinonen,
Allure,
16 May 2025
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Wild garlic flowers in Teutoburg Forest on an early spring morning with fine mist hanging in the trees.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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