1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell
a terrible reek coming from the garbage can
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell
a reeky riverbank that at low tide smells of rotting fish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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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
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Movies For Subscribers The 27 best movie theaters in Los Angeles Nov. 22, 2023 And so, aviation mayhem ensues, as Lucas fights off a coterie of bad guys through a haze of drugs and liquor.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
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
Adjective
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This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
22 Dec. 2019
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Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.—
Joanna Slater,
Washington Post,
16 Dec. 2019
Noun
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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
Adjective
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When the ball dinged off the right-field foul pole, a euphoric Crow-Armstrong tossed his bat toward the Cubs dugout and pounded his chest before rounding the bases to celebrate the grand slam and second home run of the game.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
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That didn’t leave enough time to evaluate if Rooker’s double bounced off the wall or the foul pole.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The resulting clouds can act as insulating layers in the atmosphere, often helping to reduce surface temperatures and also the extent of sea ice coverage around Antarctica.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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The rain and clouds will result in even cooler temperatures.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
24 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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