1
as in smelly
having an unpleasant smell
came home from their trip to find stinking garbage that had been left in the kitchen
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drunk
slang
being under the influence of alcohol
warned her husband not to come home stinking—or he'd be sleeping on the couch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in damn
to a great degree
a huge, showy house that screams, "We're stinking rich!"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stinking
David Aldridge, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019
Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.
—Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019
GothamGetty Images Aren't expectant parents Jenna Dewan and Steve Kazee just so stinking cute?
—Emily Dixon, Marie Claire, 3 Dec. 2019
Second, the Huskies covered the spread as the favorite one stinking time?
—Mike Anthony, courant.com, 29 Aug. 2019
The area included a stinking heap: years of goat dung in layers up to a foot thick.
—Michael Greshko, National Geographic, 28 Aug. 2019
Man, that’s one crazy set of numbers, not to mention a stinking pile of horse manure, as the two long-revered defenders continue to make one sensational play after another . .
—Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 19 July 2019
But his mechanics were already pretty stinking good.
—Robert Klemko, SI.com, 15 July 2019
Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
The carpets were absolutely stinking of wet cheesy dog.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
The defense already looks tired of the offense stinking.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
But who cares about stinking elections?
—Jackie Calmes, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Four plays, 76 yards, in 25 stinking seconds.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019
Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.
—Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019
GothamGetty Images Aren't expectant parents Jenna Dewan and Steve Kazee just so stinking cute?
—Emily Dixon, Marie Claire, 3 Dec. 2019
Second, the Huskies covered the spread as the favorite one stinking time?
—Mike Anthony, courant.com, 29 Aug. 2019
The area included a stinking heap: years of goat dung in layers up to a foot thick.
—Michael Greshko, National Geographic, 28 Aug. 2019
Man, that’s one crazy set of numbers, not to mention a stinking pile of horse manure, as the two long-revered defenders continue to make one sensational play after another . .
—Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 19 July 2019
But his mechanics were already pretty stinking good.
—Robert Klemko, SI.com, 15 July 2019
Verb
The Broncos cannot keep winning this way, by stinking for long stretches, then creating goosebumps that leave us running for the history books.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
The carpets were absolutely stinking of wet cheesy dog.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
The defense already looks tired of the offense stinking.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
But who cares about stinking elections?
—Jackie Calmes, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinking
Adjective
-
Once these target areas are addressed, don’t forget to give the rest of the machine some love by running it on a wash cycle with your favorite dishwasher cleaning solution to eliminate any remaining buildup that could lead to a messy, smelly machine.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Walking deeper into a smelly cave along the Albania-Greece border, cavers shined their flashlights along the rock walls and illuminated a massive spider colony.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But marijuana consumption has gone up at the same time that alcohol consumption has gone down, and the qualitative differences between being high and being drunk translate to differences in social behavior.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Eilert is soon drunk and distraught over seemingly losing his manuscript, and Hedda tells her ex-lover to kill himself.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
And, perhaps most importantly, to quit worrying so damn much.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Well, his lower body looks damn good to start.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Thousands of skeletal creatures were lying on bunks unable to move, while dead bodies were piled in heaps all around the camp, reeking of putrefaction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Research has consistently condemned PE firms for buying up hospitals and sucking staff and patients dry.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Otherwise, lady beetles and ladybugs can actually help out your garden by eating up aphids, the small and sap-sucking insects that can kill off plants.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
From cleaning your bathroom to combating stinky feet, keep reading for 10 genius ways to use dryer sheets in your home.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Over time, leftover detergent, dirt, and lint can stick to the drum, gasket, and hoses, which creates a slimy film that stinky bacteria love.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Nineteenth century reformers and religious authorities condemned the circus as an ungodly, drunken spectacle ripe with gender transgressions and obscenities.—
Time,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The fatal October crash is the latest of several drunken driving charges for the 53-year-old Dominguez.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Jeff looks at things very straightforwardly and is damned fearless, right?—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
-
To take just one example from many hundreds, consider this conical, solid brass paperweight from minimalist Swedish firm Les Few, which will weigh down your expense reports and look damned good doing it.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinking. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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