smelling

verb

present participle of smell
1
as in sniffing
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose we smelled the aroma of freshly baked cookies as soon as we walked in the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of I smell something fishy about this situation

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sucking
to be objectionable or unsatisfactory that movie smells—I wouldn't waste my money on it if I were you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 smelling This extends the concept beyond smelling an object remotely toward recreating aspects of a drinking experience. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026 But the idea of smelling like Dove soap didn’t appeal to me right off the bat. — James Manso, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026 His creator, an unnamed basket-weaver (Peter Dinklage), braided him as a mate for a lonely virgin, a fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) who stomps around her rustic village smelling like sushi and tossing her head back in an Eliza Doolittle guffaw. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Officials said hunters should watch for signs of infection, including visible maggots in wounds, foul-smelling injuries and animals that appear weak or distressed. — Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 White vinegar helps break apart and rinse out lingering excess detergent and fabric softener buildup that leaves towels feeling stiff and smelling musty. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2026 As the weather warmed, a co-worker mentioned smelling a strong odor coming from near Zelich's car. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 These shoes even boast a moisture-wicking, anti-odor sock liner to keep them—and your feet—smelling fresh, even after hours of sightseeing. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2026 The products were Park Hyatt’s usual—delicious-smelling La Labo toiletries. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelling
  1. sniffing
  2. sensing
  3. sucking
  4. inhaling
  5. feeling
  6. seeing
  7. hearing
  8. noticing
Verb
  • While exploring the neighborhood, his dog, Betty, took off and sprinted through the open door of an empty house, sniffing around yet completely at ease.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually, Bird’s film — with a script co-written by Matthew Robbins — gets to the meat of the action when Venus’ extremely complicated life runs smack into Ray and his knack for sniffing out bad guys.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sniffing
Verb
  • According to The Information, Meta began developing a second version, Max 2, in September, with planned improvements to its hands, torso, and sensing capabilities.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Cognitive symptoms could include illusions or hallucinations — some patients report sensing a shadowy figure nearby — and difficulties with problem solving and navigation.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensing
Verb
  • At the dock, a fish pump, which works like a giant vacuum tube, was sucking the fish out of the hold.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Deadline has established that several top producers have declined to throw their hat into the ring, with many citing concerns about the lack of rights and the production contract sucking creative energy away from other projects.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sucking
Verb
  • Over time, inhaling these irritants can trigger chronic airway inflammation, irreversible lung tissue scarring, and obstructive pulmonary conditions.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Without a mask, without fear of needing lung implants, without having to worry about inhaling a soupçon of strychnine or similar industrial pollutants.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of inhaling
Verb
  • During Monday's Morning Meeting , Jim thought that Microsoft and Amazon would be feeling the most heat to raise funds following Meta's move Monday and Alphabet's $85 billion stock sale over the summer.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Most Western countries are aging and feeling the sting of inflation, especially in ballooning housing costs.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of feeling
Verb
  • If this sort of shotgun approach to local targeting is a relatively unfamiliar phenomenon in political circles, football fans have long grown used to seeing ads for things that are essentially irrelevant to their own interests.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In fact, resilient optimism begins with seeing the problem clearly.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of seeing
Verb
  • Yes, the Gamecocks are certainly playing with a much bigger chip on their shoulder after hearing the naysayers rightfully create enough noise across the country to be heard in Columbia.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 Oct. 2026
  • In her first sketch, Navarrette and Hernandez played the ghost of a couple of 1930s kids on the Queen Mary who keep distracting a tourist from hearing where another ghost’s treasure is hidden.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of hearing
Verb
  • Pozzi says people may start noticing changes after four to six weeks of consistent practice, including being able to hold the position longer.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Marshall Faulk, the Hall of Fame running back and former Rams star, says he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about 18 months ago after noticing hand rigidity while golfing.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of noticing

Browse Nearby Words

smellers
smelling
smelling (of)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelling. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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