stunk

past participle of stink
1
as in smelled
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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 stunk The Dolphins in their 33-8 loss in Indy stunk like Limburger cheese left in a car trunk. Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunk
Verb
  • For the first time all year, the woods actually smelled like fall.
    Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The outlet said the floor smelled like Febreze.
    Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His frequent use of direct-to-camera narration initially seems like a cloying misstep (mostly because so many other movies have sucked the fun out of that device).
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
  • There is no shortage of pundits and fans who say Guardiola’s influence has been a turn-off, claiming the focus on possession and building from the back had sucked the joy, spontaneity and unpredictability out of the Premier League.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The bathroom reeked of mold, its windowless walls preventing damp towels from ever fully drying.
    Jeanne Malle, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
  • What initially reeked of hometown fantasy appears to have real legs.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunk. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on stunk

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!