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
Washing clothes inside out also helps to eliminate body soil build up, leaving fabrics cleaner and smelling fresher.
—
Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2025
SulfurSolve aims to play a central role in transforming a deadly, foul-smelling fuel into usable resources.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Baking soda, a few drops of essential oils (like lavender, rosemary, or citrus), and a bit of dish soap can leave your sink sparkling and smelling perfectly fresh.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Packaged in a giftable blue box, the scrumptious-smelling votives have a six-hour burn time and will make any space feel as warm and inviting as the popular bakery.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
Popping into a camp full of allies newly wary of the 428-year-old vampire in their midst, Regis begins by clearing up the misconception that he can be repelled by garlic, then drops a line about Jaskier’s blood smelling good.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Passengers and crew members often describe the fumes as smelling like dirty socks.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
Your body gets hunger signals from seeing and smelling food.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 26 Oct. 2025
The woman’s husband, a scrawny man in a shabby work uniform, smelling of sewage, drooped behind the gurney.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2025
SulfurSolve aims to play a central role in transforming a deadly, foul-smelling fuel into usable resources.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Baking soda, a few drops of essential oils (like lavender, rosemary, or citrus), and a bit of dish soap can leave your sink sparkling and smelling perfectly fresh.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Packaged in a giftable blue box, the scrumptious-smelling votives have a six-hour burn time and will make any space feel as warm and inviting as the popular bakery.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
Popping into a camp full of allies newly wary of the 428-year-old vampire in their midst, Regis begins by clearing up the misconception that he can be repelled by garlic, then drops a line about Jaskier’s blood smelling good.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Passengers and crew members often describe the fumes as smelling like dirty socks.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
Your body gets hunger signals from seeing and smelling food.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 26 Oct. 2025
The woman’s husband, a scrawny man in a shabby work uniform, smelling of sewage, drooped behind the gurney.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelling
Verb
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Several reports over the last few weeks had the Broncos sniffing around at offensive additions, primarily at wide receiver.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Ovechkin puck would likely garner a pretty penny, if not now, then sometime in the future, as no other active NHL player is sniffing around 700 career goals.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sony’s imaging and sensing solutions segment develops and manufactures advanced semiconductor products for a wide range of applications, from smartphones to automotive and industrial systems.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
11 Nov. 2025
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During an episode of The Real Brady Bros earlier this year, Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady, recalled sensing the chemistry between his two costars.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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One day, the script said that Marietta gets in bed, curls up with her baby dog, and is sucking her thumb.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
3 Nov. 2025
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Research has consistently condemned PE firms for buying up hospitals and sucking staff and patients dry.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia — fear of long words (The longest word found in major English dictionaries is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a 45-letter word describing a lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
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Essential oils can be used in various ways, such as inhaling them through a diffuser or applying a diluted solution to the skin.—
Emily Brown,
Verywell Health,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While the big luxury brands spent the pandemic and post-pandemic era driving up prices on shoppers who were sitting at home and looking to spend, the sector is now feeling the aftereffects with much shakier sales in a challenging consumer landscape.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Nov. 2025
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Vionic Women’s Walk Max Sneaker These breathable mesh sneakers will keep your feet feeling cool, fresh, and secure with each stride.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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What airports are seeing flight cancellations?—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Polls show that economic impacts are driving the voting bloc the most and Latino businesses across the country, from Miami to Los Angeles, are seeing a drop in foot traffic because of ICE agents targeting their communities.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Long before making music of his own, Harper spent time consuming the works of his famous relatives and hearing about their times in the studio and on the road.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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But after hearing her story, an NPR listener reached out and paid her overdue balance.—
NPR,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And when his hospital finally reopened, in February of the following year, doctors began noticing unexpected changes.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
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He was parked at a self-service bay of a 24-hour car wash two officers pulled into the West Boise business, detained him and used a drug dog to search his vehicle after noticing his parked vehicle.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelling. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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