stank 1 of 2

Definition of stanknext
British dialect
as in puddle
a small often deep body of water the Scottish innkeeper advised swimming in the nearby stank only if the prospect of hypothermia seemed appealing

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stank

2 of 2

verb

variants or stunk
past tense of stink
1
as in reeked
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again

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2
as in sucked
to be objectionable or unsatisfactory their team really stinks this year

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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 stank
Verb
Nikola Jokic stunk in Game 3 on Thursday in Minneapolis. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026 And after a decade without postseason play in town, few fans have been brave enough to suggest the team should have intentionally stunk again instead. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026 Younger players either watched or didn’t improve as the Raiders stunk on ice. Vic Tafur, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026 Dolphins have stunk lately in weather like this. Greg Cote january 1, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stank
Noun
  • Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 14 June 2026
  • Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • His shirt reeked of the flowery-formaldehyde tartness of mothballs pickling dress pockets in a closet.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • The Phillies still trailed, and the move reeked of desperation from Mattingly, who is desperate because his team cannot score runs.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • The Knicks, for some reason, look like all the life has been sucked out of them during this second half.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
  • Creators who get sucked into bad deals in the next 18 months will be the ones who mistake Hollywood’s sudden interest for validation.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Each ticket costs $5, and players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers - five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Ball) - or select Easy Pick/Quick Pick.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 13 June 2026
  • Not because success should be redistributed equally, but because long-term prosperity depends on continuously renewing the pool of people capable of building globally dominant companies.
    Dileep Rao, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • And, of course, Democratic politicians and many in the media smelled blood in the water.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stank. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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