reek

[ reek ]

noun

1. a strong, unpleasant smell.
2. vapor or steam.

verb (used without object)

1. to smell strongly and unpleasantly.
2. to be strongly pervaded with something unpleasant or offensive.
3. to give off steam, smoke, etc.

   Synonyms: fume, smoke, steam

4. to be wet with sweat, blood, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to give off; emit; exude.
2. to expose to or treat with smoke.

reek

/ riːk /

verb

1. intr to give off or emit a strong unpleasant odour; smell or stink
2. introften foll byof to be permeated (by); be redolent (of)

   the letter reeks of subservience

3. tr to treat with smoke; fumigate
4. dialect.
   tr to give off or emit (smoke, fumes, vapour, etc)

noun

1. a strong offensive smell; stink
2. dialect.
   smoke or steam; vapour

Derived Forms

• ˈreeking, adjective
• ˈreekingly, adverb
• ˈreeky, adjective

Other Words From

• reeker noun
• reeking·ly adverb
• reeky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reek¹

before 900; (noun) Middle English rek ( e ), Old English rēc smoke; cognate with German rauch, Dutch rook, Old Norse reykr; (v.) Middle English reken to smoke, steam, Old English rēocan

Word History and Origins

Origin of reek¹

Old English rēocan ; related to Old Frisian riāka to smoke, Old High German rouhhan , Old Norse rjūka to smoke, steam

Example Sentences

Grand juries may not go along with prosecutions that reek of vengeance, and trial juries and judges are more likely to resist.

From Los Angeles Times

Maths and physics student Tobias Cannon, 19, who had travelled to Leeds from Manchester to go to work, told the BBC the bus station "reeks".

From BBC

"The entire film reeks of self-importance and a need to remind us all that those behind the camera are smarter than anyone in the audience," she said.

From BBC

The Trump campaign, which said Harris’ acts reek of desperation, faced flak for statements the former president made about using the military to deal with “the enemy from within.”

From Los Angeles Times

By Day 7, even with the backyard reeking like an industrial accident at a toothpaste factory, the tiny trio of terrorists was back in full force.

From Los Angeles Times

Reek Vs. Wreak

What’s the difference between reek and wreak?

Reek most commonly means to give off a strong, unpleasant odor, as in Your socks reek, dude. Wreak means to inflict or carry out something, especially something harmful—it’s most commonly used in the phrase wreak havoc, meaning to cause chaos or destruction or both.

While wreak is only ever used as a verb, reek can also be used as a noun meaning a strong, unpleasant smell, though this use is much less common.

Reek usually functions without an object, though in some cases it is followed by the word of and the particular smell, as in It reeks of onions in here. This is also the case when reek is used in a more figurative way meaning to be penetrated or saturated with something negative, as in This case reeks of corruption.

Wreak is always used with an object, usually some negative effect, as in The storm is expected to wreak destruction throughout the region.

Reek and wreak are pronounced exactly the same, so it can be hard to remember which one is which, but you can remember that wreak begins with a w because it is often used in the context of things getting wrecked.

Here’s an example of reek and wreak used correctly in the same sentence.

Example: I like cooking with leeks, but my wife thinks they reek and says they wreak havoc on her ability to smell anything else.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between reeking and wreaking.

Quiz yourself on reek vs. wreak!

Should reek or wreak be used in the following sentence?

Don’t spray me with that stuff—I don’t want to _____ of cheap cologne!