1
2
as in senses
to have a vague awareness of
I smell something fishy about this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in scents
the quality of a thing that makes it perceptible to the sense organs in the nose
the smell of vanilla is supposed to be very soothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in splashes
a very small amount
the pie has barely a smell of ginger, but lots of cinnamon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in auras
a special quality or impression associated with something
a law firm with a mahogany-lined boardroom that has the discernible smell of money and power
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 smells
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Inside, Paris smells different.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
Evaporator Coil Buildup One of the most common reasons your AC smells bad?
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
Inside, the Forum smells like a new car right now.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
When shopping for fresh peaches, seek out fruit that smells fragrant and sweet, is free of bruises or blemishes, and is slightly firm with a little give.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2026
Where children could bond with their elders and fall in love with the sounds and smells and scenery of sports.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 13 June 2026
Fine'ry Not Another Cherry Eau de Parfum Not Another Cherry smells like another high-end cherry fragrance that retails for more than 10x the price.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Baseball caps can collect stains and smells over time.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026
The intermingling smells of sizzling hot dogs, urine and marijuana wafted through the open windows.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026
Washing dishes and cleaning your sink will remove possible attractions for pests and breeding grounds for mold or other smells that gather in a damp sink.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2026
This could be an indication that the P-trap under the sink has dried out, which means water no longer blocks unpleasant smells from rising.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 June 2026
The colors, pains, pleasures, smells, tastes and sounds, the what-it’s-like of being conscious, are not private inner bits and blobs that philosophers call qualia, floating in a theatre of the mind.
—Andréa Morris, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
However, all of these various items—and their smells—are destined to co-mingle in such tight spaces, resulting in cross-contamination of odors.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
Harrison still evokes painterly fugues of light and pungent smells, but they’re offset by a growing bleakness, and there’s less humor.
—Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
The smells have been a part of Sue’s exhibit ever since, and have proved a hit with kids visiting the museum.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
Verb
Herz’s point about emotional states affecting physical well-being suggests that the smells around us, in homes, workplaces and neighborhoods, may carry more weight than most people realize.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Inside, Paris smells different.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
Evaporator Coil Buildup One of the most common reasons your AC smells bad?
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
Inside, the Forum smells like a new car right now.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
When shopping for fresh peaches, seek out fruit that smells fragrant and sweet, is free of bruises or blemishes, and is slightly firm with a little give.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2026
Where children could bond with their elders and fall in love with the sounds and smells and scenery of sports.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 13 June 2026
Fine'ry Not Another Cherry Eau de Parfum Not Another Cherry smells like another high-end cherry fragrance that retails for more than 10x the price.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Baseball caps can collect stains and smells over time.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Noun
The fix is to lean on subtle cues, dry surfaces, fresh air and low humidity, and let the absence of competing smells do the work that a candle was never really doing.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026
The intermingling smells of sizzling hot dogs, urine and marijuana wafted through the open windows.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026
Washing dishes and cleaning your sink will remove possible attractions for pests and breeding grounds for mold or other smells that gather in a damp sink.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2026
This could be an indication that the P-trap under the sink has dried out, which means water no longer blocks unpleasant smells from rising.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 June 2026
The colors, pains, pleasures, smells, tastes and sounds, the what-it’s-like of being conscious, are not private inner bits and blobs that philosophers call qualia, floating in a theatre of the mind.
—Andréa Morris, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
However, all of these various items—and their smells—are destined to co-mingle in such tight spaces, resulting in cross-contamination of odors.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
Harrison still evokes painterly fugues of light and pungent smells, but they’re offset by a growing bleakness, and there’s less humor.
—Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
The smells have been a part of Sue’s exhibit ever since, and have proved a hit with kids visiting the museum.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smells
Verb
-
The look of sheer repressed, stymied rage/laughter on Raph’s face when Paul sniffs the Oreos instead is one of the episode’s biggest laughs.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
In the video, Chilli sniffs large bricks to locate the scent a trainer shared with him.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Burn turns quickly on the ball, and Bruno Guimaraes senses an opportunity to drop for the pass in frame two.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
Mother senses that her children are imprisoned in an underground area and asks that they be set free.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
However, the remaster sucks a lot of color from the game, at least in the demo build.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
-
Capital also becomes scarcer as debt sucks up money that would otherwise go to more productive investments.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Citrus, solar fragrances, fruity notes like peach and strawberry, and gourmand scents are leading the season’s biggest perfume trends.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
-
The intention for this breed was to work closely with hunters, so they're locked in on human cues, scents and retrieval.—
Pat Mueller,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Many of the paintings include a portrait of a Pullman porter or a maid surrounded by splashes of color and fragments of archival documents — newspaper clippings, timesheets, employee records.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
-
Get into the habit of cleaning up splashes and spilled liquids promptly to prevent them from absorbing into the surface, and avoid drenching the floor with excessive amounts of water when cleaning.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Punch up your summer manicure with rainbow-bright auras, color-shifting chrome, and vibrant blooming gel designs.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
1 June 2026
-
These characters have been somewhat thinly drawn despite the vibrant auras of Joy Sunday and Richard Jenkins since the beginning.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The chemical is particularly tough on the human respiratory system and, depending on how much a person inhales, MMA can cause everything from sore throats and cough to dizziness, nausea and, at the highest levels, damage to the nervous system, Kleinman said.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
There’s a certain pressure on the movie to deliver in both terms of content and box office numbers as well, one that Kiyoko feels immensely.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 June 2026
-
The landscape is dotted with lighthouses, and climbing one feels like a rite of passage.—
Caitlin Gunther,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smells. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
