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

Regularly washing your dog’s bed helps keep your home smelling fresh and gives your four-legged family member a cleaner place to rest. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026

The Brewers, smelling its first World Series title in franchise history after 22-year-old Cooper Pratt broke an innings-long 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the top of the 13th inning, were just three outs away from celebrating. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

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