variants
or chiefly British smelt
1
2
as in sensed
to have a vague awareness of
I smell something fishy about this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smelled
Take that time at the 2021 Academy Awards when a reporter asked her what Brad Pitt smelled like.
—
Regina Kim, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2026
Water began pouring into David Tahara’s North Park home Tuesday night around midnight, thanks to a late-breaking rainfall and a basement storm drain that smelled of sewage at certain points.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Nostalgia was for the Smurfs, for erasers that smelled like strawberries.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
The house still smelled of timber, paint, concrete dust.
—Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The flesh looked like a human brain and smelled like rotten hamburger meat wrapped in gym socks wrapped in butt.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Negotiations with the United States picked back up after the Civil War, and Seward, a proponent of American expansion, smelled a bargain.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Inspectors found rodent feces on shelves and bottled drinks in the back area, and noted that the area smelled heavily of rodent urine, in addition to lacking hot water and floor drains.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
The floors smelled of bleach, but a ripe smell of men’s bodies filled the air.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Regina Kim, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2026
Water began pouring into David Tahara’s North Park home Tuesday night around midnight, thanks to a late-breaking rainfall and a basement storm drain that smelled of sewage at certain points.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Nostalgia was for the Smurfs, for erasers that smelled like strawberries.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
The house still smelled of timber, paint, concrete dust.
—Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The flesh looked like a human brain and smelled like rotten hamburger meat wrapped in gym socks wrapped in butt.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Negotiations with the United States picked back up after the Civil War, and Seward, a proponent of American expansion, smelled a bargain.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Inspectors found rodent feces on shelves and bottled drinks in the back area, and noted that the area smelled heavily of rodent urine, in addition to lacking hot water and floor drains.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
The floors smelled of bleach, but a ripe smell of men’s bodies filled the air.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelled
Verb
-
But none of that seemed to matter because the Mets went on to lose that game, 7-1, and haven't sniffed a victory since.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The episode builds to a scene when Duncan, having sniffed out JoAnne’s scheme, blackmails her into an even larger scheme to pump rival executives for business scoops.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s in line with what most economists had expected – and likely what many American consumers have sensed.—
Jessica Bryant,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
People may have sensed that, but the study puts data on the bones.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
They may have gotten sucked into fraudulent dealings, but their faith in the crypto dream remains undiminished.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The tornado sucked out the front window of his house and ripped the door off his detached garage.—
Forum News Service,
Twin Cities,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These compounds can be immediately fatal if inhaled.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This product can turn into a big irritant if ingested or inhaled, and cause several digestive or respiratory issues.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rooting for them felt like rooting for a brand of toothpaste.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
For much of the season, three trophies would have felt like absolute fantasy.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moving a blade back and forth to try to saw biscuits apart will make their layers stick (and ruin the rise).—
Ella Quittner,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Ruggeri says that, in comparison to saw palmetto, which gets far more attention.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But the pregame boos McCollum heard Monday were nothing compared to what the Garden crowd later showered him with after a third-quarter spat with Jose Alvarado.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Ned’s father, Bob Hunt, visited the hospital that night to check on English and heard the news he was paralyzed from the neck down.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle was apparently abandoned in the Hollywood Hills and towed to a police impound lot, where an employee noticed a foul smell emanating from the trunk last September and alerted authorities.—
Andi Babineau,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The trader bet $119 that the weather in Paris on April 15 would jump past the equivalent of 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and weather enthusiasts online noticed a sudden spike in temperature on that day.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelled. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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