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.
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Recent Examples of smells
Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
If the egg smells unpleasant or has discoloration, discard the egg.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 2 Sep. 2025
Mushroom coffee looks and smells like regular coffee.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 28 Aug. 2025
Plus, the cedar wood smells amazing.
—Sierra Shafer, Outside, 28 Aug. 2025
Go north and visit Flagstaff or Prescott to take in mountain views and fresh pine smells.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
And natural processes and behaviours, like spring flowers emerging, triggered the second most wellbeing responses, followed by colours, textures and smells.
—Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The absence of partitions that shield from peep shows and contain the sounds and smells of private business is a common complaint on review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 22 Aug. 2025
Ali comes to his bedside to sign a photograph, but smells a rat when Arnold whips out a pen and dictates a very detailed dedication.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2025
Cody Godwin, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
This prevents buildup from getting baked on, which can be much harder to clean later and can lead to unpleasant smells and stains.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
Universal Hollywood’s 2023 Holidayz in Hell maze took guests through hellish versions of celebrations like Thanksgiving, where the turkey got its revenge on a family as the savory smells of the traditional dinner and fixings filled the room.
—Julie Tremaine, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Secure bins tightly so food smells don't attract curious cats.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
But, neglecting to clean the drip tray for too long can lead to dangerous grease fires, unwanted pests, and rotting smells.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2025
My favorite thing about them is the anti-odor insole technology, which keeps any bad smells at bay even after walking miles in them.
—Jackie Cucco, Travel + Leisure, 23 Aug. 2025
Behavioral tests confirmed that the mice that had experienced this axon loss were less adept at detecting and discriminating between smells.
—New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
No one wants to use a bathroom that smells stale (or worse).
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
If the egg smells unpleasant or has discoloration, discard the egg.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 2 Sep. 2025
Mushroom coffee looks and smells like regular coffee.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 28 Aug. 2025
Plus, the cedar wood smells amazing.
—Sierra Shafer, Outside, 28 Aug. 2025
Go north and visit Flagstaff or Prescott to take in mountain views and fresh pine smells.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
And natural processes and behaviours, like spring flowers emerging, triggered the second most wellbeing responses, followed by colours, textures and smells.
—Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The absence of partitions that shield from peep shows and contain the sounds and smells of private business is a common complaint on review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 22 Aug. 2025
Ali comes to his bedside to sign a photograph, but smells a rat when Arnold whips out a pen and dictates a very detailed dedication.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
Fabric deodorizer spray Consider making an all-natural fabric refresher to get rid of those unwanted smells.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
This prevents buildup from getting baked on, which can be much harder to clean later and can lead to unpleasant smells and stains.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
Universal Hollywood’s 2023 Holidayz in Hell maze took guests through hellish versions of celebrations like Thanksgiving, where the turkey got its revenge on a family as the savory smells of the traditional dinner and fixings filled the room.
—Julie Tremaine, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Secure bins tightly so food smells don't attract curious cats.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
But, neglecting to clean the drip tray for too long can lead to dangerous grease fires, unwanted pests, and rotting smells.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2025
My favorite thing about them is the anti-odor insole technology, which keeps any bad smells at bay even after walking miles in them.
—Jackie Cucco, Travel + Leisure, 23 Aug. 2025
Behavioral tests confirmed that the mice that had experienced this axon loss were less adept at detecting and discriminating between smells.
—New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smells
Verb
-
In one recent video, Stella sniffs Mia’s infant daughter and then presses the button for her name.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As history demonstrates, peace deals can be thrown overboard when an aggressor senses an opportunity to gain advantage.—
Daniel R. DePetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
La Sibilla and Cantina del Mare both produce wines with abundant salinity, and in the whites wines (from Falanghina Flegria), one senses the surrounding landscape acutely.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Plus, its strong suction sucks up pet hair, dust, dirt, crumbs, and more debris.—
Melody Kazel,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Some players will still think this sucks, see character acquisition slow and then bounce.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
From slam dunks to signature scents, Shaquille O’Neal’s latest venture proves fragrance can be powerful, personal, and affordable.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Sewell has been working with the Science of Wellness program from IFF for the past three years, which pulls from more than 40 years of neuroscientific research into how scents can influence the brain’s emotional and memory senses.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Amiron Zero are designed to be resistant to dust and splashes thanks to the IP54 rating.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
These processes created microscopic craters and splashes of molten rock on the asteroid's surface, according to the paper.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This way, the space feels truly your own on delivery day.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The wide-leg silhouette feels chic and trendy without having to sacrifice on comfort.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The mezcal is extremely fragrant, featuring powerful aromas of dark, roasted cacao, spice notes of clove and cinnamon, underpinned by the smoky richness of roasted chilies along with delicate notes of fruit and subtle woody/herbal tones.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
For the most delicious variety, food enthusiasts should follow the aromas to the most concentrated locations with bold gastronomic ambitions.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The video was picked apart by people looking for some hints as to the shooter’s motivation or politics.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Swifties also took note of a few extremely subtle hints Swift made during her appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast, indicating a Super Bowl performance could be in her future.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smells. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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