reeking 1 of 2

adjective

as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell I would rather not be the one to wash your reeking gym clothes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reeking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of reek
as in smelling
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell those old sneakers reek something awful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reeking
Verb
The meteorite hurtled over the east coast before crash-landing in a house in Hillsborough, New Jersey where the homeowner found it, reeking of sulfur. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 15 July 2026 Today, a checkerboard of subdivisions crosses east to west, and the remaining grasslands are buried each day under reeking asphalt and rolls of turfgrass. — Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026 And the smell is soft and pleasant, instead of reeking of alcohol. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026 Following the opening verse with the characterization of his lady’s eyes, Shakespeare proceeded to give a rundown of her other features in less than flattering terms, including her lips (pale), hair (wiry), voice (grating) and breath (reeking). — David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeking
  1. stinking
  2. smelling
  3. ripe
  4. fetid
  5. malodorous
  6. foul
  7. smelly
  8. filthy
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • Not the good, high-altitude ozone that shields us from dangerous UV light, but bad ozone, hovering right above ground level — stinking, brownish, grayish photochemical smog.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of stinking
Verb
  • This eau de parfum, in particular, balances fruity and floral well—without smelling like your grandma’s perfume that’s been on her vanities for decades.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 21 July 2026
  • After a minute or two, a spray of water came from the hole, smelling suspiciously like the Newtown Creek.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026
Definition of smelling
Adjective
  • Mangoes are ripe for the picking in South Florida and the avocado trees are full.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • But Lamb could be ripe for an upset, Thom Reilly, a professor and co-director of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University, told USA TODAY.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Definition of ripe
Adjective
  • The detainees ate and slept next to the bathrooms; fetid water leaked into the dining area and under the beds.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • The bleak tortures Ohm concocts for his characters are as vile as the Bilberry’s fetid jacuzzi.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of fetid
Adjective
  • Skunks can cause anxiety in homeowners by harming lawns and possibly threatening Rover with their malodorous defenses.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
  • Be advised that only a small fraction of arums are malodorous.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Definition of malodorous
Adjective
  • Over these six weeks, the standard of on-field refereeing was predictably unpredictable, given the wide range of views that exist in different countries on what constitutes a foul, caution or red card.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Joey Bart followed by lining a ball that whizzed over third base and then skidded in foul territory to the base of a wall that juts perpendicular to the infield.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • While baking soda is famously good at deodorizing smelly things, adding salt to compost piles can interrupt the composting process.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
  • The smelly smoke from the fires spreading across 2,528 square miles in the Province of Ontario snuck into Lake County overnight last Wednesday into Thursday.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
Definition of smelly
Adjective
  • Dozens of people had spent almost a year living outside, filthy and exhausted, and for what?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of filthy

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Cite this Entry

“Reeking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeking. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of reeking for Spanish Speakers

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