1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

skunky

adjective

Definition of skunkynext
as in putrid

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar 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 skunky But though marigolds are certainly colorful, many types have an unpleasant scent that is almost skunky. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 July 2026 In recent years, that strong signature skunky funk of pot has given way to scent profiles of new cannabis strains that skew toward fruits, fresh herbs and candy. — Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025 Sour Diesel, on the other hand, offers a classic skunky scent that many cannabis enthusiasts adore. — Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2025 In the later courtroom sequences, in Gotham’s trial of the century, Fleck represents himself, apparently channeling Foghorn Leghorn; in Arkham, the inmates are always watching cartoons, with particular emphasis on that skunky predator Pepé Le Pew. — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for skunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunky
  1. putrid
  2. stinky
  3. malodorous
  4. smelly
  5. rancid
  6. musty
  7. stale
  8. funky
Adjective
  • Crosby’s performance is no indictment on the Raiders offensive line, a group looking to improve on a putrid display a year ago.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Cedars-Sinai apologized for any inconvenience Marina del Rey residents endured after the hospital's construction project caused a putrid odor to spread through the coastal neighborhood.
    — Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of putrid
Adjective
  • These repellents are made of stinky smells and bad flavors that deer do not like, like potassium sorbate, whole egg solids, thyme oil, garlic, and sodium lauryl sulfate.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Garbage cans can be smelly and gross, but flies love them thanks to their rotting food and stinky smells.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stinky
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
  • The duo wants to be there for the good, the bad, and the questionably smelly while sprinkling some happy-go-lucky magic over all of it.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, here’s how to make your house smell good with these tricks to tackle smelly odors in your home and promote pleasant scents.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of smelly
Adjective
  • The food might taste rancid, sour, bitter, or just not right.
    — Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The rotting food has drawn swarms of flies and rats with a foul rancid smell that Boyle Heights residents have said kept them indoors, and business owners have said kept customers away.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of rancid
Adjective
  • Common signs of moldy books include a musty or earthy smell, discoloration (especially black, white, green, or orange spots), soft or fuzzy patches on the cover or pages, and warped or wavy pages due to moisture.
    — Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Rarely has a film so resourcefully evoked the transportive but decidedly analog thrill of reading; rarely has the warmly musty smell of research libraries and archives somehow wafted with such sense-memory precision off a cinema screen.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of musty
Adjective
  • The assistant was answering with a straight face using data that was already hours stale.
    — Amirtha Saminathan, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In Primetime, Predator breaks protocol in a misguided attempt to keep the show from getting stale.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of stale
Adjective
  • James Nguyen fingerless gloves made of a funky metallic blue fabric.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • For the statement maker who is never seen without a sequin, perhaps a funky martini glass?
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of funky

Browse Nearby Words

skunks
skunky
sky
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunky. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of argot

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All