scent 1 of 2

scent

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to perfume
to fill or infuse with a pleasant odor or odor-releasing substance fancy bars of soap scented with lavender

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to smell
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose the dog scented a rabbit and suddenly took off

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun scent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of scent are fragrance, perfume, and redolence. While all these words mean "a sweet or pleasant odor," scent is very close to perfume but of wider application because more neutral in connotation.

scent-free soaps

When might fragrance be a better fit than scent?

While in some cases nearly identical to scent, fragrance suggests the odors of flowers or other growing things.

the fragrance of pine

Where would perfume be a reasonable alternative to scent?

The meanings of perfume and scent largely overlap; however, perfume may suggest a stronger or heavier odor.

the perfume of lilacs

When is it sensible to use redolence instead of scent?

In some situations, the words redolence and scent are roughly equivalent. However, redolence implies a mixture of fragrant or pungent odors.

the redolence of a forest after a rain

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 scent
Noun
Now, to a kid, that was the scent of adulthood. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025 Each ratio gets tested and refined until the scent feels right. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
As the temperature surged to two hundred degrees, Solórzano slammed a snowball scented with black pepper and juniper tar onto the rocks, filling the room with a gunpowdery musk, and waved furiously, darting up and down the sauna stairs, tossing his towel in an elegant plume of white. Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 Like the lipsticks, the balms are also gently scented with a subtle raspberry-mint fragrance, and are easily refillable. Karina Hoshikawa, Refinery29, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scent
Noun
  • Luxury tableware and fragrance brand Tania Bulhões is another international firm that has its eye on Limoges artisan heritage.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Together, these notes create a velvety fragrance that smells like love in a bottle.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Odor and the French Social Imagination is essentially a book about the declining tolerance for strong smells in 18th and 19th-century France.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • This can happen because of changes in hormones, taste, and sense of smell.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Treatments are designed to be sensorial and effective without feeling heavy or overly perfumed.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
  • With showy wine-red blossoms that perfume the garden with the distinctive aromas of chocolate and vanilla from mid-summer through fall, chocolate cosmos entices butterflies and curious gardeners alike.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His nose is so powerful, it's used to sniff out cancer.
    Felicia Faber, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In the clip, an elderly woman stands holding a bowl and a spoon beside a massive brown bear that sniffs her feet.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • My work had already uncovered the ability of narwhal tusks to sense changes in water salinity The pieces began to fit.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Gomez and others have sensed the shock of fear in the dance community, which includes not only Latino dancers but people from a range of backgrounds who consider Latin dance more of a lifestyle than a hobby.
    Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Adding your preferred aroma to a wool dryer ball is also possible.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The fruit and its peel can be used to add flavor to drinks or aromas to perfumes.
    Kirstyn Hill, Health, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Inhale the Oils Using the Dry Evaporation Method The dry evaporation method is another way to inhale essential oils indirectly but effectively.
    Emily Brown, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia — fear of long words (The longest word found in major English dictionaries is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a 45-letter word describing a lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust.
    Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Softstreme High-rise Wide-leg Cropped Pant has a weighty drape that adds an elegant edge to what otherwise feels like loungewear, given how remarkably soft the Softstreme fabric is.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Many people felt San Antonio Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama would take another step forward in his development this season.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scent. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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