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 Dogs slept outside and got baths every six months and sometimes disappeared for three days and then came home smelling like Paris Hilton circa 2003, and no one asked any questions. — Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 The fresh-smelling fragrance is available in several Bath & Body Works go-tos, including the Liquidless Reeds and Single Wick Candle. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Aug. 2026 To avoid smelling like stale airplanes, pack travel sizes of your everyday fragrances. — Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026 Each bin features a weatherproof gasket seal that locks out moisture and dust and keeps your belongings looking and smelling fresh. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2026 Gold reimagines the notes as light and shimmering with a clean, expensive-smelling musk finish. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026 The soil should be moist, faintly acid smelling, from its infusion of decayed compost. — Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026 After using a vinegar and water solution as part of your refrigerator cleaning routine, reach for a bowl, tray, or packet of baking soda to keep the space smelling fresh. — The Spruce, 21 Aug. 2026 The remarkable animals have been part of an APOPO training program in Tanzania for nearly 30 years, spending most of their lifespan of roughly 8 years learning how to hone their innate smelling skills and working in the field. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelling
  1. sniffing
  2. sensing
  3. sucking
  4. inhaling
  5. feeling
  6. seeing
  7. hearing
  8. noticing
Verb
  • Mondon, a 2025 fifth-round pick, opened team drills with the second-team defense by sniffing out a run along the perimeter.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Pomeranian munchkins in Munchkinland skitter around, sniffing wagging butts.
    — Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sniffing
Verb
  • That could eventually give defense researchers a faster route to developing advanced materials for sensing, energy, and other next-generation technologies.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • And sensing an opportunity, products geared toward a younger audience are regularly using brainrot characters.
    — Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sensing
Verb
  • All alone with a few thousand dollars to my name, courtesy of my soul-sucking corporate job.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
  • For instance, Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have become openly obsequious in sucking up to the DSA.
    — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of sucking
Verb
  • More studies are showing the wide-ranging negative health impacts of inhaling wildfire smoke, which is especially toxic when blazes tear through urban areas and burn up household appliances, batteries and chemicals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Another man was taken to Insight Hospital and Medical Center in fair condition after also inhaling water, police said.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of inhaling
Verb
  • The race to get Groq chips into customers' hands underscores the growing premium on low-latency inference, the speed that keeps AI agents feeling responsive, especially for coding tools.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than extra long hair, think of a cut that falls somewhere below the collarbone, with enough layering or movement to keep it from feeling heavy.
    — Laura Solla, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of feeling
Verb
  • Actual Roman ruins As for those interested in seeing legitimate sites, Arya recommends Verona for an amphitheater, or Aquileia, two and a half hours northeast on Veneto’s border with Friuli.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Major departures included releasing Cousins, parting ways with linebackers Troy Andersen and Kaden Elliss, and seeing veteran safety Justin Simmons head into retirement.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of seeing
Verb
  • People hearing those stories—attorneys, reporters, healthcare workers or friends—may expect a clearer, linear narrative.
    — Michele Patterson Ford, Scientific American, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Up until that point, all of my recordings were just me and my guitar, so hearing the drums and the extra vocals blew my mind.
    — Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of hearing
Verb
  • In one video from Mailung, in Nepal’s Rasuwa region, a group of construction workers was seen walking down a mountain path before noticing giant plumes of brown debris in the distance, rapidly cascading toward them.
    — Laura Saravia, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • As the children played and the adults talked, Rose kept noticing her husband looking toward the water, scanning the horizon.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 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 31 Aug. 2026.

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