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
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
Poking at the dirt outside of the home with a sharp metal rod soldered to a handle, Tello wiggled the rod around, pulled it out, and smelled it.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 27 Feb. 2026
Sure enough, the wine smelled like a grove of cedars and carried hints of mushrooms, black earth, and the sea.
—Alex Halberstadt, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
While authorities noted in the arrest report that Falcinelli smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and blurry eyes, there was no mention of a sobriety test being administered.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
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
Poking at the dirt outside of the home with a sharp metal rod soldered to a handle, Tello wiggled the rod around, pulled it out, and smelled it.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 27 Feb. 2026
Sure enough, the wine smelled like a grove of cedars and carried hints of mushrooms, black earth, and the sea.
—Alex Halberstadt, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
While authorities noted in the arrest report that Falcinelli smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and blurry eyes, there was no mention of a sobriety test being administered.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelled
Verb
-
The speedy outfielder hadn’t sniffed the big leagues in five years.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
At the time, fellow Arab leaders sniffed, but today, with the enormous cost of regional chaos weighing directly on the Gulf, the king’s words are prescient.—
Hadley Gamble,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For anyone who has ever looked into their dog’s eyes and sensed a deeper understanding staring back, Chaser’s story is powerful validation.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Two other figures in Jordan’s life had long sensed the extent of his talent.—
Blanche Marcel,
Vanity Fair,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But his mouth was open and drooped peculiarly to one side, and his skin was sucked into his skeleton like a vacuum storage bag.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Dinner starts with a brief discussion about Dorit having dinner with PK, a gel fart that has been collected from the air, sucked up into a syringe, and then used as lip filler for Saddam Hussein’s corpse.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When spores are inhaled, symptoms include fever, nausea and chest pain.—
Hannah Kinzer,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The researchers also conducted mouse experiments, where mice inhaled the pesticide as humans would for 11 weeks.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To me, her intensity always felt justified.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Featuring four distinct stories (including Overlook hit MLM), this zany, bloody, wacko tale of inequality is sure to galvanize anyone who has ever felt lost in a sea of menial repetitious tasks.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 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
-
Guests include those already loyal to the Six Senses brand and Missoni clad fashionistas who have heard about the hideaway’s sizable wellness offerings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Alleged damages must be in excess of $5 million to be heard in Texas Business Court, but plaintiffs state the full amount they are owed will be determined at trial.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That observation mirrors exactly what Miles Bridges has noticed.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
An investigation into the shooting found that a driver picked up a female passenger in Kansas City, and shortly after, the driver noticed they were being followed by the Jeep.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 26,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelled. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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