as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell
a stinky plant that attracts certain insects and then devours them
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Recent Examples of stinky
An alkaline compound, baking soda is a non-toxic cleaner with a coarseness that works wonders for scrubbing grime, removing difficult stains, and deodorizing stinky odors.
—
Lauren David, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
This Mumi Travel Laundry Bag is made of moisture-proof and odor-resistant material that locks in funky smells, preventing the rest of your clothing from getting stinky.
—Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
An Orange County landfill has been cited for foul odors after Irvine neighbors complained about the stinky smell.
—Michele Gile, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Here are examples of what to avoid in winter, including the number one item that could turn your black gold into a stinky, unusable mess.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 1 Feb. 2026
Here’s how to clean a garbage disposal to eliminate stinky odors.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
Pair it with chocolate desserts or even a stinky cheese like Camembert.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Some funky flavors can be good, like earthy, savory, leathery or smoky notes, while others such as vinegary, stinky or barnyardy are not.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Lauren David, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
This Mumi Travel Laundry Bag is made of moisture-proof and odor-resistant material that locks in funky smells, preventing the rest of your clothing from getting stinky.
—Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
An Orange County landfill has been cited for foul odors after Irvine neighbors complained about the stinky smell.
—Michele Gile, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Here are examples of what to avoid in winter, including the number one item that could turn your black gold into a stinky, unusable mess.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 1 Feb. 2026
Here’s how to clean a garbage disposal to eliminate stinky odors.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
Pair it with chocolate desserts or even a stinky cheese like Camembert.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Some funky flavors can be good, like earthy, savory, leathery or smoky notes, while others such as vinegary, stinky or barnyardy are not.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinky
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
Adjective
-
Empty your washing machine promptly at the end of every cycle to prevent bacteria growth and smelly odors from developing in your damp clothes, advises Palmer-Smith.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Remedies like vinegar and baking soda can be used once a month or whenever towels start to become stiff or smelly.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
State government and the legislature are ripe for an audit.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Beyoncé was incredibly kind, with skin like a ripe peach.—
Essence,
Essence,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Vermin, malodorous airs and other issues caused 14 Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach restaurants to fail inspection last week.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Democrats are an eye-watering 26 points underwater while Republicans are a more mildly malodorous 11 points beneath the surface.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
At one point a couple of years ago, Microsoft even used malware-like pop-ups in a disgusting overreach.—
Tom Warren,
The Verge,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Early Friday morning, the president of the United States shared on his social media account a foul video that portrayed former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes and himself as a lion.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
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These toxic elements sat in the channel’s then-stagnant water, which led to a die-off of all vegetation and the emission of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Over the last several seasons of the Movies Fantasy League, the one thing that’s been more consistent than the movies, the awards, or Timmy Chalamet scoring a hit in December has been all you players coming up with some of the most clever, goofy, dumb, sometimes filthy names for your teams.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
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Traditional mops move filthy water, conventional vacuums push fine dust back into the air and cleaning cloths need to be rinsed to maintain hygienic conditions.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Citizens Energy customers should be on the lookout for a seasonal greeting from the gas and water utility this winter — with a card that is more fetid than festive.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
10 Dec. 2025
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From the fetid and overcrowded cells of the town’s migrant detention center, officers pick out a Sudanese man who had been arrested the day before.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stinky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinky. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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