stinks 1 of 2

noun

plural of stink
as in objections
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent many town residents raised an unholy stink about the proposal to increase taxes yet again

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stinks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stink
1
as in smells
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in sucks
to be objectionable or unsatisfactory their team really stinks this year

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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 stinks
Verb
Now the skunk is saying somebody else stinks, though the smell does lead to Infantino and this FFE plan. — Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 Her stats are decent, but her attitude stinks. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 With another championship in reach, the timing of MacFarland’s exit stinks. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 7 June 2026 And the reality stinks for Cleveland right now. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 24 May 2026 If someone stinks and has options, send him back to the minors. — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 22 May 2026 His eyes are healthy, although his vision stinks. — Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026 Glowicki stars as a lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinks
  1. objections
  2. smells
  3. sucks
  4. complaints
  5. exceptions
Noun
  • The letter by Raskin and colleagues raises numerous objections to the concept of morphing three affordable courses used by golfers of all levels into a more expensive course designed for professionals.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • By Elisabeth Zerofsky How the late-night host won comedy’s biggest prize — despite the White House’s objections.
    — Daniel Bergner Elisabeth Zerofsky Benoit Denizet-Lewis David Marchese Charles Homans Kwame Anthony Appiah Sophie Haigney Chris Almeida Ismail Muhammad John Hodgman, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of objections
Verb
  • It’s grounded in a specific place, carrying with it all the tastes, smells and textures McFadden can relive from that trip.
    — Harry Levin, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • Excess detergent and fabric softener can leave residue that traps smells.
    — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 28 July 2026
Definition of smells
Verb
  • Not the layoffs, the mergers, the rampant unemployment, and the fear that comes with it — all of that and more unreservedly sucks.
    — Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
  • Which is why Rhaenyra stumbling during her first days on the job really sucks as a Team Black truther.
    — The Editors, Vulture, 3 July 2026
Definition of sucks
Noun
  • Two people were arrested, but charges were dropped pending the outcome of the internal review after complaints about the use of force.
    — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The police investigation was launched following complaints from relatives of the victims of the Gwangju crackdown, which official records say left about 200 people dead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of complaints
Noun
  • The notable exceptions are the athletes themselves, who until 2021 got little more than scholarships, even though their talent and work are at the center of the whole enterprise.
    — Brennan Berg, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
  • There are some exceptions, like the MLB's partnership with Capital One.
    — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of exceptions

Browse Nearby Words

stinkpots
stinks
stinks up
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Cite this Entry

“Stinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinks. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stinks

Nglish: Translation of stinks for Spanish Speakers

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