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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
The store is small, independently run and smells oh-so good.
—Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
Experts believe squirrels are drawn to the fruity smells of vapes, not the addictive substance inside them.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
Instantly, the elixir, which is super-lightweight (and smells like a fancy laundry detergent in the best way), added shine and smoothed out my strays.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s nothing like walking into a bar that smells like blood and beer and doing well.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Robots that track smells often fail when one of their sensors breaks.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
My job is to tell you when something smells fishy, and, well, p-yew.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
Something smells rotten in Denmark — that is, Tallahassee.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Guests from all walks of life gather around one long table by the kitchen, the sights of hands whisking and the smells of bread baking.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
On the Valley of Shadows podcast, the two spoke of the smells of sagebrush and cowboy cologne that wafted by when the wind picked up.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 21 Mar. 2026
If there are only a few dirty dishes, hand wash them to prevent unwanted smells from forming overnight.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
For some, that means nausea triggered by everyday smells; for others, this biological reaction means that long-standing fragrance preferences shift overnight.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026
The sensory overload wore me down after a while—the smells, the noise, the permanent neon twilight, the intentional assault on my circadian rhythm.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Using a sink strainer to catch food particles prevents smells.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
But instead of simply coating the offending area with air freshener or lighting a candle to mask the odor, learn how to address unwanted smells at the source.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The air smells damp and jungly (in the best possible way) and is sweetened with a hint of frangipani.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
The store is small, independently run and smells oh-so good.
—Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
Experts believe squirrels are drawn to the fruity smells of vapes, not the addictive substance inside them.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
Instantly, the elixir, which is super-lightweight (and smells like a fancy laundry detergent in the best way), added shine and smoothed out my strays.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s nothing like walking into a bar that smells like blood and beer and doing well.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Robots that track smells often fail when one of their sensors breaks.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
My job is to tell you when something smells fishy, and, well, p-yew.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
Something smells rotten in Denmark — that is, Tallahassee.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
Sudden or unfamiliar smells can be stressful for cats, while maintaining familiar scent cues helps reduce anxiety, especially during transitions such as moving house or bringing a cat home from a shelter.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Guests from all walks of life gather around one long table by the kitchen, the sights of hands whisking and the smells of bread baking.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
On the Valley of Shadows podcast, the two spoke of the smells of sagebrush and cowboy cologne that wafted by when the wind picked up.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 21 Mar. 2026
If there are only a few dirty dishes, hand wash them to prevent unwanted smells from forming overnight.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
For some, that means nausea triggered by everyday smells; for others, this biological reaction means that long-standing fragrance preferences shift overnight.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026
The sensory overload wore me down after a while—the smells, the noise, the permanent neon twilight, the intentional assault on my circadian rhythm.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Using a sink strainer to catch food particles prevents smells.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
But instead of simply coating the offending area with air freshener or lighting a candle to mask the odor, learn how to address unwanted smells at the source.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smells
Verb
-
In the video, Chilli sniffs large bricks to locate the scent a trainer shared with him.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Tovar is the one officer who immediately sniffs out that there’s something weird about Gacy, and Luna incrementally nudges the character further and further into obsession.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Someone senses something is wrong — unstable snow, deteriorating conditions, a risky route — but speaking up means challenging the plan and slowing everyone down.—
Jane Sadowsky,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
And yet, Rachel senses, something is not right.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Keep your home spotless with the mini Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner and one of our favoritecordless vacuums, which easily sucks up pet hair and daily debris.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Kaulo living through The Immortal Man is sort of a surprise, because otherwise, this movie’s treatment of women sucks.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While Sorce does have a large selection of its own signature scents, the store also carries a variety of other small, artisan brands including Pineward, Paraphrase Perfume and Deconstructing Eden.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Having grown up in Kiryat Malachi, Israel, in a family with deep roots in Iraq and Tunisia, Cohen remembers these powerful scents filling family cooking areas.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Braves didn’t make many offseason splashes but instead should get a lot of key players back to full health after a disastrous run of injuries throughout 2025.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The design here avoids ski-lodge clichés but maintains splendid common areas, including a cozy library and a grand lobby decorated with stone and wood finishes and splashes of rich red and orange hues.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The film follows a quiet inmate arriving at a violent Indonesian prison with a supernatural entity that kills those with the darkest auras.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2026
-
This airbrush design on a long square nail comprises a mix of French-tip auras, clear blobs, and 3D florals for a fun and funky design.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With its 18th-century buildings and cobblestones, rue de la Commune feels like the Rive Droite in Paris—except instead of a rivulet, the water is the size of a sea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But for students like 11-year-old Dutra, the loss feels personal.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So did barbecue lighter fluid, dry cleaners, paints, deodorants, breweries, and the ethanol in the aromas from commercial bakeries.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Cooks tend the iconic grill in full view, sending up smoky aromas and satisfying sizzles that are the restaurant’s heartbeat.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smells. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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