Synonyms of smelled

smelled

verb

variants or chiefly British smelt

past tense of smell

1

as in sniffed

to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose

we smelled the aroma of freshly baked cookies as soon as we walked in the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sniffed
• inhaled
• breathed
• scented
• whiffed
• snuffed
• drank (in)
• nosed
• snorted
• respired
• savored
• snuffled

2

as in sensed

to have a vague awareness of

I smell something fishy about this situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sensed
• felt
• saw
• heard
• noticed
• tasted
• perceived
• scented
• realized
• expected
• looked (at)
• discovered
• noted
• remarked
• spied
• learned
• anticipated
• witnessed
• beheld
• observed
• viewed
• discerned
• suspected
• sighted
• ascertained
• regarded
• eyed
• guessed
• found out
• supposed
• espied
• distinguished
• foresaw
• assumed
• caught on (to)
• presumed
• descried
• surmised
• speculated
• divined
• conjectured
• foreknew

3

as in sucked

to be objectionable or unsatisfactory

that movie smells—I wouldn't waste my money on it if I were you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sucked
• bit
• stank

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ruled
• rocked

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of smelled

My father used a powerful glue to reassemble the cowboy, which twenty-five years later still smelled like orange peels. — Will MacKin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026

In a strange twist, the potential buyer reportedly smelled a rat and reached out to someone with the company, to make sure the machinery hadn’t been stolen. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 June 2026

Max also smelled awful, could barely walk and had about nine to 10 wounds on his body, according to the document. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 25 June 2026

As someone with an open concept home where the trash can unfortunately be smelled from the couch, this is my favorite discovery of the year so far. — Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026

Nostalgia was for the Smurfs, for erasers that smelled like strawberries. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Heavy seaside fog settled above us, and the air smelled salty. — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

Investigators smelled hand sanitizer and ruled that the fire was set intentionally, prosecutors said. — Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026

The soap smelled like a spa and the Crème de Marfil heated floors and walls kept us all warm when drying off. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026