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
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
This smells strongly of rotten eggs.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
And adding insult to injury, the whole plant smells like rotten peanut butter.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 24 Sep. 2025
Nzingah Oniwosan, a holistic health consultant, engages in a range of activities five to six days a week and uses this method to manage sweat and smells.
—Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
Rats, also dislike the acidic odor in vinegar, and ammonia smells similar to predator urine, which can scare them away.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
The domestic aspiration isn’t spa-like calm, or a Tuscan vineyard, or whatever Byredo thinks a library smells like.
—Jennifer Noyes, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
The team used functional MRI to record brain activity while exposing 20 healthy adults to the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami) and to matching retronasal odors – smells delivered through the mouth to mimic how food releases aroma during chewing.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
Rain is coming, penciled in for an hour or two from now, and a harsh British wind is flinging leaves off branches and cloaking the countryside with something that smells dungy and damp.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2025
Over the following three weeks, dogs learn the sights, smells and rhythms of their new home, meeting new human and animal companions and discovering their new walking routes, food and sleeping spots.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
The researchers’ first step was to systematically observe what insects visited the flowers and then compare the flowers’ scent to the smells of various insects.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
Another hack is to use a little leave-in conditioner to keep it moisturized and to mask any emerging smells.
—Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
You are nauseated by the smells.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
With 64 incense cones, customers will be able to enjoy roughly 640 minutes of lush smells.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Herbs such as basil, mint, cilantro, and dill can introduce kids to new smells and tastes.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
Step inside and be greeted by the earthy smells of the past, and you’ll be quickly transported back in time, to childhood or beyond.
—Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Even the room, with its various plants and florals done up in towering arrangements, smells fresh and bright.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
This smells strongly of rotten eggs.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
And adding insult to injury, the whole plant smells like rotten peanut butter.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 24 Sep. 2025
Nzingah Oniwosan, a holistic health consultant, engages in a range of activities five to six days a week and uses this method to manage sweat and smells.
—Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
Rats, also dislike the acidic odor in vinegar, and ammonia smells similar to predator urine, which can scare them away.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
The domestic aspiration isn’t spa-like calm, or a Tuscan vineyard, or whatever Byredo thinks a library smells like.
—Jennifer Noyes, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
The team used functional MRI to record brain activity while exposing 20 healthy adults to the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami) and to matching retronasal odors – smells delivered through the mouth to mimic how food releases aroma during chewing.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
Rain is coming, penciled in for an hour or two from now, and a harsh British wind is flinging leaves off branches and cloaking the countryside with something that smells dungy and damp.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
If possible, let your mattress air out in natural sunlight—this can help with smells and even kill off some bacteria, according to Stein.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2025
Over the following three weeks, dogs learn the sights, smells and rhythms of their new home, meeting new human and animal companions and discovering their new walking routes, food and sleeping spots.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
The researchers’ first step was to systematically observe what insects visited the flowers and then compare the flowers’ scent to the smells of various insects.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
Another hack is to use a little leave-in conditioner to keep it moisturized and to mask any emerging smells.
—Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
You are nauseated by the smells.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
With 64 incense cones, customers will be able to enjoy roughly 640 minutes of lush smells.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Herbs such as basil, mint, cilantro, and dill can introduce kids to new smells and tastes.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
Step inside and be greeted by the earthy smells of the past, and you’ll be quickly transported back in time, to childhood or beyond.
—Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smells
Verb
-
At first, the curious canine sniffs a paw, but soon follows the trail straight to the source—the black dog's ear.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Hired by Leo's sister-in-law (Shailene Woodley), Detective Bali sniffs out the winding secrets of the powerful Vardakis family, unraveling a crime of passion.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The technology senses vehicle speed and terrain and automatically adjusts the suspension to keep the vehicle level.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Maizy ends up meeting convincing city slicker Gordy (played by Quinn VanAntwerp), who senses the opportunity to take these small town’s woes and turn them into cash.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
All of the force, all the deadly, lethal force, really does seem to be on the fascist right now, which really sucks.—
Nikki McCann Ramirez,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
-
If a triatomine bug bites and sucks the blood of an infected host, the bug then becomes a carrier for the parasite.—
Greta Cross,
Freep.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bath & Body Works, which has been around for decades, is known for its iconic, cult-worthy fragrances that at the same time elevate the customer experience with new scents that quickly become best-sellers.—
Alisa Rendor,
StyleCaster,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Fall is all about fragrance—from the pumpkin spice wafting through every coffee shop to earthy scents of dewy grass dotted with falling leaves to the pots of mums that adorn every front step in the neighborhood.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The water-resistant outer material guards your essentials against splashes, while elastic straps and multiple pockets help keep your bottles upright.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
People read auras and palms, too.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Finding free parking in Las Vegas feels like hitting the jackpot.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
-
That means encouraging teams to slow down, check sender info, confirm requests through other channels and report anything that feels off.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The hours of gentle simmering release aromas that perfume the whole home.—
Sheri Castle,
Southern Living,
21 Sep. 2025
-
These glands appear to be filled with bacteria that produce the aromas that create the marks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smells. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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