Synonyms of smelling

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

• sniffing
• inhaling
• scenting
• whiffing
• snuffing
• breathing
• nosing
• drinking (in)
• snorting
• respiring
• snuffling
• savoring

2

as in sensing

to have a vague awareness of

I smell something fishy about this situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sensing
• feeling
• seeing
• hearing
• noticing
• perceiving
• tasting
• scenting
• expecting
• realizing
• anticipating
• discovering
• looking (at)
• noting
• learning
• remarking
• spying
• witnessing
• viewing
• observing
• beholding
• distinguishing
• ascertaining
• sighting
• eyeing
• discerning
• regarding
• suspecting
• espying
• guessing
• foreseeing
• finding out
• divining
• supposing
• descrying
• speculating
• assuming
• presuming
• catching on (to)
• foreknowing
• conjecturing
• surmising

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

• sucking
• biting
• stinking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ruling
• rocking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of smelling

Ahead, find our top picks for the best-smelling skincare for men. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 5 Aug. 2026

Yet this is still a football club that may emerge smelling of roses. — Lee Clayton, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Rewash musty-smelling clothes with a laundry sanitizer to eliminate odors. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 30 July 2026

Their best sense is chemoreception, sort of like smelling, albeit through a frill of tiny flickering tentacles that extend past a ruff of epipodial tissue between its shell and foot, like a skirt over a petticoat. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026

Witnesses reported smelling gas before the explosion, according to Reuters. — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026

Let Your Towels Dry Outside Since UV light is a natural disinfectant, one of Parker’s favorite tricks for keeping towels smelling fresh between washes is to give them some sunshine on a good old-fashioned clothesline. — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 28 July 2026

In addition to bacterial growth, strong-smelling food residue can transfer odors to porous kitchen materials such as wood, fabrics, and sponges. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026

Few things can derail a day faster than greasy, limp or unpleasant-smelling hair. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 25 July 2026