smelly

adjective

ˈsme-lē How to pronounce smelly (audio)
Definition of smellynext
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell your smelly sneakers are enough to raise the dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 smelly During hot weather, if your trash often contains wet food scraps that quickly become smelly, like vegetable peels, produce, leftovers, meat, or fish, clean the bin every two weeks. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 July 2026 Dispose of any smelly garbage or sticky residues, as these can attract flies and ants. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 June 2026 There's a smelly situation on the beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts after thousands of squid washed up on shore. — Neal Riley, CBS News, 8 June 2026 Store smelly wood such as cedar or pine and petroleum products, including tar paper, paint, turpentine, kerosene, rubber and charcoal fluid. — Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for smelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelly
  1. stinking
  2. stinky
  3. ripe
  4. malodorous
  5. foul
  6. disgusting
  7. filthy
  8. fetid
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Definition of stinking
Adjective
  • These might be mineral water showers or baths, cold-water enemas, or just drinking 3 glasses of stinky, sulfurous spring water daily before breakfast, while strolling and engaging in pleasant conversation on a landscaped promenade.
    — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 9 July 2026
  • Australia’s 2024 stinky ‘black balls’ incident This isn’t the first time mysterious balls were found on Australian beaches, stumping experts and locals alike.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Definition of stinky
Adjective
  • With Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid on the roster, James would finally have the chance, at the ripe age of 41, to be a blender and not have to shoulder the bulk of offensive responsibility.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Visitors snapped selfies and likened the smell to trash rooms, rotten meat and ripe garbage.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of ripe
Adjective
  • Skunks can cause anxiety in homeowners by harming lawns and possibly threatening Rover with their malodorous defenses.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
  • Be advised that only a small fraction of arums are malodorous.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Definition of malodorous
Adjective
  • Donis said multiple people reached out with complaints of a foul smell emanating from the river.
    — Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
  • Once opened, check for foul odors, cloudiness, or spurting liquid when opening.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • Where critics see disgusting piles of stuff, hoarders see more.
    — Shivali H. Patra, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
  • Noah Kahan is speaking out about a disgusting habit picked up by some music fans.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Dozens of people had spent almost a year living outside, filthy and exhausted, and for what?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • The detainees ate and slept next to the bathrooms; fetid water leaked into the dining area and under the beds.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • The bleak tortures Ohm concocts for his characters are as vile as the Bilberry’s fetid jacuzzi.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of fetid

Browse Nearby Words

smells (of)
smelly
smidgen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelly. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of smelly for Spanish Speakers

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