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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 stank
Verb
Dolphins have stunk lately in weather like this. Greg Cote january 1, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026 Minnesota’s late-game offense stunk a year ago. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stank
Noun
  • The basin should resemble a shallow puddle, similar to what birds find in nature.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The 2000s babies reeked of youth.
    Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The bathroom reeked of mold, its windowless walls preventing damp towels from ever fully drying.
    Jeanne Malle, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The 2025 season began with six quarterbacks who had won Super Bowls, a product of the amount of oxygen that Patrick Mahomes and Brady have sucked out of the position.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
  • On this occasion, Arsenal’s team and fans became equally beset by nerves — a vicious cycle of anxiety that sucked the life (and the noise) out of the Emirates Stadium.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Like the neighborhood kids playing at the community pool, also from his 1975 series, a stop-you-in-your-tracks, sincere, insightful, nostalgic slice of life from before kids were on their devices all day, kids turned loose by parents to have fun and make friends IRL.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • With the shot clock running down, Franklin passed the ball from the near mid-pool to Franklin positioned in front of the Beckman goal.
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Officers smelled marijuana in her vehicle and then found the 31-pound cannabis cargo.
    John Aguilar, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
  • When officers arrived, Clark reportedly smelled of alcohol, TMZ reported Thursday, citing a police source.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stank. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on stank

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!