stinky

adjective

Definition of stinkynext
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell a stinky plant that attracts certain insects and then devours them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 stinky Two stinky blooms are on display at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, and time is very limited to catch the stench. — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 13 July 2026 These might be mineral water showers or baths, cold-water enemas, or just drinking 3 glasses of stinky, sulfurous spring water daily before breakfast, while strolling and engaging in pleasant conversation on a landscaped promenade. — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 9 July 2026 Australia’s 2024 stinky ‘black balls’ incident This isn’t the first time mysterious balls were found on Australian beaches, stumping experts and locals alike. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 8 July 2026 Besides creating the right environment for germs and bacteria to thrive, outdoor garbage cans can become moldy, attract scavenging wildlife and pests, and become overwhelmingly stinky. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 July 2026 Let’s respect and appreciate nature in all its messy, sometimes stinky beauty at the cove. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2026 That essence is slimy, stinky and unrelenting, as reflected in the mass of algae that infests the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 This two-pack is made from naturally moisture-wicking, odor-resistant merino wool, which will prevent your feet from getting sweaty and stinky on the plane. — Jackie Cucco, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026 The beaches of South Florida are currently clogged with bristly, stinky and downright annoying piles of seaweed known as sargassum. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinky
  1. stinking
  2. smelly
  3. ripe
  4. malodorous
  5. disgusting
  6. foul
  7. filthy
  8. fetid
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Definition of stinking
Adjective
  • Clean Your Washing Machine Front-loading washers can develop smelly odors from mold and mildew growth caused by detergent and fabric softener residue and body soil left inside the washer drum and rubber door seals.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
  • As the day goes on, these smelly specimens will close back up and collapse, losing their infamously rotten odor.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of smelly
Adjective
  • With Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid on the roster, James would finally have the chance, at the ripe age of 41, to be a blender and not have to shoulder the bulk of offensive responsibility.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Visitors snapped selfies and likened the smell to trash rooms, rotten meat and ripe garbage.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of ripe
Adjective
  • Skunks can cause anxiety in homeowners by harming lawns and possibly threatening Rover with their malodorous defenses.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
  • Be advised that only a small fraction of arums are malodorous.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Definition of malodorous
Adjective
  • Deer-Proof Your Garden To keep your flowers from being gobbled up by deer—one of the most heartbreaking of all garden misfortunes—choose flowers that people find glorious and deer find disgusting.
    — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
  • Where critics see disgusting piles of stuff, hoarders see more.
    — Shivali H. Patra, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Donis said multiple people reached out with complaints of a foul smell emanating from the river.
    — Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
  • Once opened, check for foul odors, cloudiness, or spurting liquid when opening.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • Dozens of people had spent almost a year living outside, filthy and exhausted, and for what?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • The detainees ate and slept next to the bathrooms; fetid water leaked into the dining area and under the beds.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • The bleak tortures Ohm concocts for his characters are as vile as the Bilberry’s fetid jacuzzi.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of fetid

Browse Nearby Words

stink up
stinky
stint
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stinky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinky. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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