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
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2
as in sensing
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 smelling
Old Herald clippings from 1986 reported about homeowners toilets and sinks smelling like gas, a 3-year-old getting rashes and fevers from drinking the well water and fear of driers exploding.
—
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
If your laundry has started smelling less than fresh even after a cycle, a dirty machine drum could be the reason.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
If your laundry comes out smelling less than fresh, this is likely why.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
And be sure to keep more pungent types away from more mild ones, and strong-smelling foods in a separate area.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026
Also called shore rose, beach rose (Rosa rugosa) is a deciduous, woody perennial that grows sweet-smelling flowers all summer long.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
The perfect partner for the Spray-To-Wipe is the new All Over Deodorant, a whole-body natural deodorant that genuinely stops you from smelling.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Harasim suggests leaving out Arm & Hammer baking soda packs (which even come as air filters), or a fragrant bar of soap like Irish Spring to keep things smelling better.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Eating food can obviously boost your energy—but so can simply smelling certain foods.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 31 Mar. 2026
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
If your laundry has started smelling less than fresh even after a cycle, a dirty machine drum could be the reason.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
If your laundry comes out smelling less than fresh, this is likely why.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
And be sure to keep more pungent types away from more mild ones, and strong-smelling foods in a separate area.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026
Also called shore rose, beach rose (Rosa rugosa) is a deciduous, woody perennial that grows sweet-smelling flowers all summer long.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
The perfect partner for the Spray-To-Wipe is the new All Over Deodorant, a whole-body natural deodorant that genuinely stops you from smelling.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Harasim suggests leaving out Arm & Hammer baking soda packs (which even come as air filters), or a fragrant bar of soap like Irish Spring to keep things smelling better.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Eating food can obviously boost your energy—but so can simply smelling certain foods.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelling
Verb
-
Bedard doesn’t have a single top-six caliber linemate to play with and still is sniffing a point-per-game season.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
There are people who are afraid, based on instinct or experience, and people who are allergic; people who cannot tolerate the crotch sniffing; people who simply believe that dogs, regardless of their position in the family, should not encroach on indoor space.—
Rachel Sugar,
Curbed,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Such an approach could influence the development of more efficient systems for solar energy, optoelectronics and sensing technologies.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Patapoutian won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the role PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 proteins play in sensing mechanical stimuli.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Feeding Difficulties Because of their low muscle tone, many babies with PWS have a weak sucking reflex.—
Health,
Health,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Think of it like an aromatic dinner bell for sap-sucking insects.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When a degraded grassland returns to health, the ground heaves up, as if inhaling with relief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Humans are evolutionarily designed for hunting and gathering — not for lifting 50-pound boxes for eight hours straight or inhaling toxic dust in an industrial sanding booth.—
Vivek Ranadive,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Munn is still continuing her cancer journey, but is feeling better overall.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
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And looking good on video has started feeling like a bigger part of everyday jobs.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Public school districts in Texas are almost one school year into the first statewide cellphone ban, and a North Texas school district is seeing positive impacts.—
Lacey Beasley,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Why more Sacramento residents are seeking evaluation As public awareness changes, individuals who were formerly written off as chaotic, fragile, strange or unstable are now seeing those outdated stories from a contemporary perspective.—
Malana VanTyler,
Sacbee.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Parents rushed to the school in Kahramanmaras’ Onikisubat district after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Parents rushed to the school after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported, adding that police took security measures around the school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The difference between counting down the minutes and barely noticing the time often comes down to what’s in your carry-on.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
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For someone noticing early volume loss or fine lines, that endorsement from a Mayo Clinic dermatologist carries real weight.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelling. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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