as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell
I would rather not be the one to wash your reeking gym clothes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reeking
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Thousands of skeletal creatures were lying on bunks unable to move, while dead bodies were piled in heaps all around the camp, reeking of putrefaction.
—Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
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
Thousands of skeletal creatures were lying on bunks unable to move, while dead bodies were piled in heaps all around the camp, reeking of putrefaction.
—Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeking
Adjective
-
Four plays, 76 yards, in 25 stinking seconds.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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The waiting room is already over-flowing with bloodied, weary, apparently horrifically smelling patients.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
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This typically includes sensory testing, such as tasting and smelling products over time, and chemical tests that track changes like oxidation or moisture loss.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Made with ripe persimmons, these cookies are a special treat to savor while the fruit is in season.—
Macie Stump,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Raymond Chew, general manager of Southeast Asia at Clarks, said in a statement that the market is ripe for the first Cloudsteppers lifestyle location.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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From the fetid and overcrowded cells of the town’s migrant detention center, officers pick out a Sudanese man who had been arrested the day before.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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All spoke about the inhumane conditions, from the fetid human waste to having to stand during the rain because there is nowhere to lie down.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Vermin, malodorous airs and other issues caused 14 Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach restaurants to fail inspection last week.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
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Democrats are an eye-watering 26 points underwater while Republicans are a more mildly malodorous 11 points beneath the surface.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With about six minutes remaining in the second half, fans reacted unfavorably to a foul call against Spartans forward Jaxson Kohler.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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But the Warriors were unable to also overcome Curry piling up four fourth-quarter fouls, which led to his first foul-out since 2021.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Rainleaf Microfiber Towel A microfiber towel is another takeaway from my camping adventures, where a damp towel can become heavy and smelly.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
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Once these target areas are addressed, don’t forget to give the rest of the machine some love by running it on a wash cycle with your favorite dishwasher cleaning solution to eliminate any remaining buildup that could lead to a messy, smelly machine.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The couple slept on a filthy mattress on the floor with their 4-year-old son, Stephano.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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The big comedy set pieces overwhelm Miller’s attempts at satire, but any movie that has Nicholson casually dropping filthy double (and single) entendres beneath arched eyebrows is worth a look.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reeking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeking. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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