smell

1 of 2

verb

ˈsmel

smelled ˈsmeld How to pronounce smell (audio)

or chiefly British smelt ˈsmelt How to pronounce smell (audio)

; smelling

transitive verb

: to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose

: to detect or become aware of as if by the sense of smell

I smell trouble

: to emit the odor of

intransitive verb

: to exercise the sense of smell

a(1)

: to have an odor or scent

(2)

: to have a characteristic aura or atmosphere : smack

the accounts … seemed to me to smell of truth

R. S. Bourne

also : seem, appear

the story didn't smell right

b(1)

: to have an offensive odor : stink

(2)

: to be of bad or questionable quality

all this from the moral point of view smells

A. F. Wills

smeller noun

smell

2 of 2

noun

: the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor

: the process, function, or power of smelling

: the sense concerned with the perception of odor

: a very small amount : trace

add only a smell of garlic

: a pervading or characteristic quality : aura

the smell of affluence, of power

Harry Hervey

: an act or instance of smelling

Example Sentences

Verb She leaned over and smelled the flowers. I have a cold right now so I can't smell. I can't smell anything because I'm so stuffed up. I could smell dinner cooking. I think I smell gas. This car smells like mold. Can't you smell the profits? Noun the distinctive smell of onions Dogs have a keen sense of smell. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Eye the food stalls (maybe grab a cookie or some ice cream to hold you over), smell the fresh flowers, and get a to-go drink from any of the food hall’s bars.

Annalise Mabe, Bon Appétit, 2 Sep. 2022 Visitors will smell the rich soil and plant life as a soundscape shifts over the course of the day.

The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Besides citronella, these plants can smell like orange, strawberry, rose, nutmeg, coconut, ginger, mint, and many other fruits, spices, and flowers.

Benjamin Whitacre, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2022 As cyanobacteria in a bloom die, the water may smell bad, similar to rotting plants.

oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2022 Contrary to popular belief, hummers can smell the environment around them just a little bit.

Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2022 But the sharks in the travel sports scene, a growing industry worth billions of dollars, smell blood in the water.

Matthew Vantryon, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Aug. 2022 Listeria can survive freezing temperatures, and the contaminated food will not smell or look spoiled.

Chris Smith, BGR, 20 Feb. 2022 That would make all the pups smell the same, increasing the chances the mother would accept the newcomers.

Matt Mcclain, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022

Noun

Kramlich and her husband wandered through a house filled with the smell of smoke, trying to come to terms with the idea that they were surrounded by flames.

Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2022 On a recent overcast morning, the air in Vernon was thick with the smell of ammonia.

New York Times, 1 Aug. 2022 The structures, which withstood the effects of the huge explosion in 2020, have been smoldering and burning for weeks, filling parts of Lebanon's capital with the smell of smoke.

Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 1 Aug. 2022 And, with the smell of frying onions drifting over from the big iron camp stove, the priest raised his hand and began his second Sunday mass.

Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 10 July 2022 Urine drying on the hot sidewalk in the noon heat mixes with the smell of fish, where the morning’s catch is spread on tables under umbrellas for sale.

Jennifer Grotz, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022 In addition to the pyrotechnics, the fish gains smoke from planks of cedar wood as they are incinerated, filling the air with the smell of sweet, burning wood.

Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 July 2022 The bodies of those too sick to sell were thrown to the sharks in the Indian Ocean, their remains washing back with the tide and filling the humid air with the smell of decomposition.

Nadifa Mohamed, Harper’s Magazine , 22 June 2022 The afternoon will be filled with the smell of smoke, live music, and a dad joke competition that will knock your socks off.

Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 17 June 2022 See More

Kids Definition

smell 1 of 2

verb

ˈsmel

smelled

ˈsmeld

or smelt

ˈsmelt

; smelling

: to detect the odor of by means of special cells located in the nose

Stop and smell the flowers.

: to notice (something) because of its odor

I think I smell gas.

: to have or give off an odor

My dog smells wet.

: to sense as if by smelling

I smell trouble.

smell

2 of 2

noun

: the sense by which a person or animal becomes aware of an odor

: the sensation gotten through the sense of smell : odor, scent

Medical Definition

smell 1 of 2

verb

ˈsmel

smelled ˈsmeld How to pronounce smell (audio)

or smelt ˈsmelt How to pronounce smell (audio)

; smelling

transitive verb

: to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose

intransitive verb

: to exercise the sense of smell

smell

2 of 2

noun

: the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor

: the special sense concerned with the perception of odor

smell 1 of 2

verb

as in to sniff

to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose we smelled the aroma of freshly baked cookies as soon as we walked in the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sniff
inhale
whiff
scent
nose
snuff
breathe
snort
respire
snuffle
savour
savor
drink (in)

as in to sense

to have a vague awareness of I smell something fishy about this situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

sense
feel
taste
see
scent
notice
hear
perceive
sight
realize
expect
note
view
eye
anticipate
spy
discover
witness
discern
divine
learn
remark
behold
suspect
find out
ascertain
foresee
distinguish
guess
espy
observe
suppose
regard
look (at)
descry
presume
surmise
catch on (to)
speculate
assume
conjecture
foreknow

as in to suck

to be objectionable or unsatisfactory that movie smells—I wouldn't waste my money on it if I were you

Synonyms & Similar Words

suck
bite
stink

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rule
rock

smell

2 of 2

noun

as in scent

the quality of a thing that makes it perceptible to the sense organs in the nose the smell of vanilla is supposed to be very soothing

Synonyms & Similar Words

scent
aroma
stench
sniff
odor
fragrance
redolence
whiff
fragrancy
perfume
stink
attar
rankness
malodor
musk
reek
fetor
rancidity
funk
tang
bouquet
savoriness
spice
lusciousness
savor
savour
foulness
incense
ambrosia
acridness
gaminess
aromaticity
noisomeness
otto
fetidness
odorousness
odoriferousness

as in little

a very small amount the pie has barely a smell of ginger, but lots of cinnamon

Synonyms & Similar Words

little
hint
splash
glimmer
touch
sprinkling
shred
speck
lick
bit
trace
tad
particle
spark
dab
taste
spatter
smack
suspicion
crumb
handful
ray
ounce
dram
peanuts
smidgen
pinch
streak
sliver
shade
scintilla
fleck
scruple
bite
nip
mite
soupçon
spot
dash
strain
smidgeon
smidgin
minimum
shadow
smidge
ace
drop
dose
drop in the bucket
skosh
portion
grain
driblet
molecule
whit
snap
patch
semblance
nibble
vestige
syllable
modicum
mote
atom
part
iota
jot
granule
dot
morsel
section
hoot
fragment
shiver
minim
scrap
tittle
scattering
nubbin
flake
smattering
splinter
flyspeck
shaving
clipping
smatter
tatter
chip
shard
paring
smithereens
shot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quantity
pile
mess
abundance
deal
loads
stack
lot
wealth
mountain
mass
plenty
barrel
profusion
bucket
heaps
gobs
bundle
wad
boatload
bushel
volume
peck
fistful
oodles
raft
scads
lashings
surplus
reams
excess
potful
embarrassment
much
passel
overflow
overabundance
lashins
oversupply
surfeit
superfluity
superabundance
slab
bonanza
lump
overkill
overmuch
hunk
chunk
overage

as in aura

a special quality or impression associated with something a law firm with a mahogany-lined boardroom that has the discernible smell of money and power

Synonyms & Similar Words

aura
aroma
atmosphere
air
odor
feel
flavor
sense
feeling
ambience
mood
climate
patina
halo
ambiance
karma
temper
nimbus
vibration(s)
note
romance
sensation
mystique
characteristic
image
aureole
spirit
illusion
property
aureola
attribute
trait
tone
peculiarity
color
notion
semblance
picture
suggestion
overtone
genius loci
character
mark

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of smell are aroma, odor, and scent. While all these words mean "the quality that makes a thing perceptible to the olfactory sense," smell implies solely the sensation without suggestion of quality or character.

an odd smell permeated the room

The meanings of aroma and smell largely overlap; however, aroma suggests a somewhat penetrating usually pleasant odor.

the aroma of freshly ground coffee

Odor may imply a stronger or more readily distinguished scent or it may be equivalent to smell.

a cheese with a strong odor

Although the words scent and smell have much in common, scent applies to the characteristic smell given off by a substance, an animal, or a plant.

the scent of lilacs

单词	smell
释义	smell 1 of 2 verb ˈsmel smelled ˈsmeld or chiefly British smelt ˈsmelt ; smelling transitive verb 1 : to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose 2 : to detect or become aware of as if by the sense of smell I smell trouble 3 : to emit the odor of intransitive verb 1 : to exercise the sense of smell 2 a(1) : to have an odor or scent (2) : to have a characteristic aura or atmosphere : smack the accounts … seemed to me to smell of truth R. S. Bourne also : seem, appear the story didn't smell right b(1) : to have an offensive odor : stink (2) : to be of bad or questionable quality all this from the moral point of view smells A. F. Wills smeller noun smell 2 of 2 noun 1 : the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor 2 a : the process, function, or power of smelling b : the sense concerned with the perception of odor 3 a : a very small amount : trace add only a smell of garlic b : a pervading or characteristic quality : aura the smell of affluence, of power Harry Hervey 4 : an act or instance of smelling Phrases smell a rat : to have a suspicion of something wrong smell blood : to sense an opponent's weakness or vulnerability smell the roses : to enjoy or savor life Synonyms Verb nose scent sniff snuff whiff Noun aroma odor redolence scent sniff See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb She leaned over and smelled the flowers. I have a cold right now so I can't smell. I can't smell anything because I'm so stuffed up. I could smell dinner cooking. I think I smell gas. This car smells like mold. Can't you smell the profits? Noun the distinctive smell of onions Dogs have a keen sense of smell. See More Recent Examples on the Web Verb Eye the food stalls (maybe grab a cookie or some ice cream to hold you over), smell the fresh flowers, and get a to-go drink from any of the food hall’s bars. Annalise Mabe, Bon Appétit, 2 Sep. 2022 Visitors will smell the rich soil and plant life as a soundscape shifts over the course of the day. The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Besides citronella, these plants can smell like orange, strawberry, rose, nutmeg, coconut, ginger, mint, and many other fruits, spices, and flowers. Benjamin Whitacre, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2022 As cyanobacteria in a bloom die, the water may smell bad, similar to rotting plants. oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2022 Contrary to popular belief, hummers can smell the environment around them just a little bit. Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2022 But the sharks in the travel sports scene, a growing industry worth billions of dollars, smell blood in the water. Matthew Vantryon, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Aug. 2022 Listeria can survive freezing temperatures, and the contaminated food will not smell or look spoiled. Chris Smith, BGR, 20 Feb. 2022 That would make all the pups smell the same, increasing the chances the mother would accept the newcomers. Matt Mcclain, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 Noun Kramlich and her husband wandered through a house filled with the smell of smoke, trying to come to terms with the idea that they were surrounded by flames. Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2022 On a recent overcast morning, the air in Vernon was thick with the smell of ammonia. New York Times, 1 Aug. 2022 The structures, which withstood the effects of the huge explosion in 2020, have been smoldering and burning for weeks, filling parts of Lebanon's capital with the smell of smoke. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 1 Aug. 2022 And, with the smell of frying onions drifting over from the big iron camp stove, the priest raised his hand and began his second Sunday mass. Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 10 July 2022 Urine drying on the hot sidewalk in the noon heat mixes with the smell of fish, where the morning’s catch is spread on tables under umbrellas for sale. Jennifer Grotz, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022 In addition to the pyrotechnics, the fish gains smoke from planks of cedar wood as they are incinerated, filling the air with the smell of sweet, burning wood. Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 July 2022 The bodies of those too sick to sell were thrown to the sharks in the Indian Ocean, their remains washing back with the tide and filling the humid air with the smell of decomposition. Nadifa Mohamed, Harper’s Magazine , 22 June 2022 The afternoon will be filled with the smell of smoke, live music, and a dad joke competition that will knock your socks off. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 17 June 2022 See More Word History Etymology Verb Middle English First Known Use Verb 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Noun 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing smell smell a rat smell trouble smell out wake up and smell the coffee/roses smell the roses smell blood smell a rat smell trouble smell out wake up and smell the coffee/roses smell the roses smell blood Kids Definition smell 1 of 2 verb ˈsmel smelled ˈsmeld or smelt ˈsmelt ; smelling 1 : to detect the odor of by means of special cells located in the nose Stop and smell the flowers. 2 : to notice (something) because of its odor I think I smell gas. 3 : to have or give off an odor My dog smells wet. 4 : to sense as if by smelling I smell trouble. smell 2 of 2 noun 1 : the sense by which a person or animal becomes aware of an odor 2 : the sensation gotten through the sense of smell : odor, scent Medical Definition smell 1 of 2 verb ˈsmel smelled ˈsmeld or smelt ˈsmelt ; smelling transitive verb : to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose intransitive verb : to exercise the sense of smell smell 2 of 2 noun 1 : the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor 2 : the special sense concerned with the perception of odor smell 1 of 2 verb 1 as in to sniff to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose we smelled the aroma of freshly baked cookies as soon as we walked in the house Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance sniff inhale whiff scent nose snuff breathe snort respire snuffle savour savor drink (in) 2 as in to sense to have a vague awareness of I smell something fishy about this situation Synonyms & Similar Words sense feel taste see scent notice hear perceive sight realize expect note view eye anticipate spy discover witness discern divine learn remark behold suspect find out ascertain foresee distinguish guess espy observe suppose regard look (at) descry presume surmise catch on (to) speculate assume conjecture foreknow 3 as in to suck to be objectionable or unsatisfactory that movie smells—I wouldn't waste my money on it if I were you Synonyms & Similar Words suck bite stink Antonyms & Near Antonyms rule rock smell 2 of 2 noun 1 as in scent the quality of a thing that makes it perceptible to the sense organs in the nose the smell of vanilla is supposed to be very soothing Synonyms & Similar Words scent aroma stench sniff odor fragrance redolence whiff fragrancy perfume stink attar rankness malodor musk reek fetor rancidity funk tang bouquet savoriness spice lusciousness savor savour foulness incense ambrosia acridness gaminess aromaticity noisomeness otto fetidness odorousness odoriferousness 2 as in little a very small amount the pie has barely a smell of ginger, but lots of cinnamon Synonyms & Similar Words little hint splash glimmer touch sprinkling shred speck lick bit trace tad particle spark dab taste spatter smack suspicion crumb handful ray ounce dram peanuts smidgen pinch streak sliver shade scintilla fleck scruple bite nip mite soupçon spot dash strain smidgeon smidgin minimum shadow smidge ace drop dose drop in the bucket skosh portion grain driblet molecule whit snap patch semblance nibble vestige syllable modicum mote atom part iota jot granule dot morsel section hoot fragment shiver minim scrap tittle scattering nubbin flake smattering splinter flyspeck shaving clipping smatter tatter chip shard paring smithereens shot Antonyms & Near Antonyms quantity pile mess abundance deal loads stack lot wealth mountain mass plenty barrel profusion bucket heaps gobs bundle wad boatload bushel volume peck fistful oodles raft scads lashings surplus reams excess potful embarrassment much passel overflow overabundance lashins oversupply surfeit superfluity superabundance slab bonanza lump overkill overmuch hunk chunk overage See More 3 as in aura a special quality or impression associated with something a law firm with a mahogany-lined boardroom that has the discernible smell of money and power Synonyms & Similar Words aura aroma atmosphere air odor feel flavor sense feeling ambience mood climate patina halo ambiance karma temper nimbus vibration(s) note romance sensation mystique characteristic image aureole spirit illusion property aureola attribute trait tone peculiarity color notion semblance picture suggestion overtone genius loci character mark Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of smell are aroma, odor, and scent. While all these words mean "the quality that makes a thing perceptible to the olfactory sense," smell implies solely the sensation without suggestion of quality or character. an odd smell permeated the room The meanings of aroma and smell largely overlap; however, aroma suggests a somewhat penetrating usually pleasant odor. the aroma of freshly ground coffee Odor may imply a stronger or more readily distinguished scent or it may be equivalent to smell. a cheese with a strong odor Although the words scent and smell have much in common, scent applies to the characteristic smell given off by a substance, an animal, or a plant. the scent of lilacs
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smell

verb

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing smell

Kids Definition

verb

noun

Medical Definition

verb

noun

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser