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Synonyms

smelly

American  
[smel-ee] / ˈsmɛl i /

adjective

smellier, smelliest

  1. emitting a strong or unpleasant odor; reeking.

    Synonyms:
    stinky, malodorous
smelly British  
/ ˈsmɛlɪ /

adjective

  1. having a strong or nasty smell

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • smelliness noun

Etymology

Origin of smelly

First recorded in 1860–65; smell + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When I had replaced it I would lie down again on the smelly straw, steeling myself for the bawling out I knew would come.

From Literature

You cannot imagine how much there was of it, nor how smelly it was.

From Literature

Never having to huff your own engine exhaust is even better—you just don’t notice how smelly gas cars can be until you’ve been out of one for a while.

From The Wall Street Journal

A few moments later, rustling came from the brush behind me and the first of the trolls appeared, ugly and smelly as ever.

From Literature

“I’m meeting Uncle Jack this afternoon. Do you want me to show up smelly?”

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.