variants
or chiefly British smelt
1
2
as in sensed
to have a vague awareness of
I smell something fishy about this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smelled
The house still smelled of timber, paint, concrete dust.
—
Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The flesh looked like a human brain and smelled like rotten hamburger meat wrapped in gym socks wrapped in butt.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Negotiations with the United States picked back up after the Civil War, and Seward, a proponent of American expansion, smelled a bargain.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Inspectors found rodent feces on shelves and bottled drinks in the back area, and noted that the area smelled heavily of rodent urine, in addition to lacking hot water and floor drains.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
The floors smelled of bleach, but a ripe smell of men’s bodies filled the air.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Officers smelled alcohol on Richardson.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Last season, Greg Gard woke up, smelled the analytics, and installed a new, floor-stretching offense.
—Peter Keating, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The officer smelled booze on his breath, according to a police report.
—Mason Leib, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The flesh looked like a human brain and smelled like rotten hamburger meat wrapped in gym socks wrapped in butt.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Negotiations with the United States picked back up after the Civil War, and Seward, a proponent of American expansion, smelled a bargain.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Inspectors found rodent feces on shelves and bottled drinks in the back area, and noted that the area smelled heavily of rodent urine, in addition to lacking hot water and floor drains.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
The floors smelled of bleach, but a ripe smell of men’s bodies filled the air.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Officers smelled alcohol on Richardson.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Last season, Greg Gard woke up, smelled the analytics, and installed a new, floor-stretching offense.
—Peter Keating, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The officer smelled booze on his breath, according to a police report.
—Mason Leib, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelled
Verb
-
But after just one shot at hosting it in 2011, the Cowboys haven’t sniffed another crack at the big game.—
Nick Harris
April 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Not only were the Titans picked to finish last, but not one CSUF player sniffed an all-conference mention.—
Brian Robin,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
People may have sensed that, but the study puts data on the bones.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The exec sensed that something was off.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So, if you get sucked into the movie/video-game question, that’s on you.—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The sound of the orchestra tuning up to me has always felt just like such a magical sound and then, of course, the curtains open and you’re sucked into this paper world.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Several fungal species are most often carried by dust and other soil disturbances, posing health risks when inhaled.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
-
When spores are inhaled, symptoms include fever, nausea and chest pain.—
Hannah Kinzer,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Each bite had a creamy, savory center and a light crunch that never felt greasy.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The Royals felt Strahm was an essential piece to bolster their bullpen.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moving a blade back and forth to try to saw biscuits apart will make their layers stick (and ruin the rise).—
Ella Quittner,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Ruggeri says that, in comparison to saw palmetto, which gets far more attention.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Explosions rang out in Tehran and low-flying jets could be heard for hours as the capital was pounded.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Yes, Kraus has heard that comparison already.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Plus, the company has noticed a pronounced shift in both customers adjusting the sizes listed in their online profiles and requesting smaller sizes, Baer added.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
-
That’s when Levinson noticed a giant poster on Zimmer’s wall for Once Upon a Time in the West, the 1968 Sergio Leone spaghetti Western with Claudia Cardinale and Henry Fonda.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelled. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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