stink
1 of 2verb
ˈstiŋk 
stank ˈstaŋk or stunk ˈstəŋk ; stunk; stinking
or stunk ˈstəŋk ; stunk; stinking intransitive verb
1
: to emit a strong offensive odor
stank of urine
2
: to be offensive
the election stank of corruption
also : to be in bad repute
3
: to possess something to an offensive degree
stinking with wealth
4
: to be extremely bad or unpleasant
the performance stank
that news really stinks
stinky
ˈstiŋ-kē
adjective stink
2 of 2noun
1
: a strong offensive odor : stench
2
: a public outcry against something : fuss
made a big stink when asked to leave
Synonyms
Verb
- reek
Noun
- funk
- reek
- stench
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The food is good at that restaurant, but the service stinks. Having a root canal stinks. Noun People raised a stink about the new law. He kicked up a stink about the way he'd been treated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jon Gorey, BostonGlobe.com, 12 June 2022 Housebound Americans are buying more air fresheners, scented candles and pungent cleaners to overcome one of humanity’s deep social fears—that visitors will think their abodes stink to high heaven. —Sharon Terlep, WSJ, 5 Jan. 2022 Opponents lobbed stink bombs at the theater where the film premiered in Madrid, and the right-wing press condemned the picture. —Adam Bernstein, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2023 The Broncos stink, but the game is in Mile High, and Denver just scared the Chiefs in K.C. —Nick Canepacolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2023 This is gonna be all day, the meat’s gonna start to stink, etc. —Vulture, 14 Nov. 2022 Andy Brunning, Compound Interest) Two of the elements stink. —Mark Lorch, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2016 Ringtail lemurs have one of the most unique conflict-resolution tactics of all animals: stink fights. —Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 19 Jan. 2023 The football program has been dropping Buffalo patties for years and continues to stink. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2022 Helena Andrews-dyer, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2023 Pence would be proximate enough to gain Trumpist credibility, while distant enough to avoid the stink of it all. —Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 31 Jan. 2023 The ghosts of Cannon Films past hover all around Plane, the sort of politically-confused mediocrity that isn’t campy enough to be industry-dump-month fun and isn’t horrific enough to leave a stink lasting longer than its running time. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2023 Sometimes people think the stink is coming from themselves, which can lead to a condition known as olfactory reference syndrome, says Hirsch. —NBC News, 21 Dec. 2022 It’s our No. 1 choice this year for guys and gals who want to beat the stink and have clean pits all day long. —Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022 Those baffling decisions to not punt the ball away will leave a stink on coach Dan Lanning well into the offseason. —Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2022 One resident designed a High Acres stink-reporting app that has logged 26,000 complaints. —Curbed, 12 Aug. 2022 In New York, the fate of old food has recently inflamed passions and caused a political stink. —Anne Barnard, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
Common culprits include the areas around chimneys, windows, recessed lights, stink pipes, and wet walls, Taylor said. —Jon Gorey, BostonGlobe.com, 12 June 2022 Housebound Americans are buying more air fresheners, scented candles and pungent cleaners to overcome one of humanity’s deep social fears—that visitors will think their abodes stink to high heaven. —Sharon Terlep, WSJ, 5 Jan. 2022 Opponents lobbed stink bombs at the theater where the film premiered in Madrid, and the right-wing press condemned the picture. —Adam Bernstein, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2023 The Broncos stink, but the game is in Mile High, and Denver just scared the Chiefs in K.C. —Nick Canepacolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2023 This is gonna be all day, the meat’s gonna start to stink, etc. —Vulture, 14 Nov. 2022 Andy Brunning, Compound Interest) Two of the elements stink. —Mark Lorch, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2016 Ringtail lemurs have one of the most unique conflict-resolution tactics of all animals: stink fights. —Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 19 Jan. 2023 The football program has been dropping Buffalo patties for years and continues to stink. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2022 Noun
Or, for those less cynical and perhaps for the singer herself, the lesson was more hopeful (but somehow more exhausting) — Beyoncé would always be great, so why make a stink. —Helena Andrews-dyer, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2023 Pence would be proximate enough to gain Trumpist credibility, while distant enough to avoid the stink of it all. —Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 31 Jan. 2023 The ghosts of Cannon Films past hover all around Plane, the sort of politically-confused mediocrity that isn’t campy enough to be industry-dump-month fun and isn’t horrific enough to leave a stink lasting longer than its running time. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2023 Sometimes people think the stink is coming from themselves, which can lead to a condition known as olfactory reference syndrome, says Hirsch. —NBC News, 21 Dec. 2022 It’s our No. 1 choice this year for guys and gals who want to beat the stink and have clean pits all day long. —Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022 Those baffling decisions to not punt the ball away will leave a stink on coach Dan Lanning well into the offseason. —Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2022 One resident designed a High Acres stink-reporting app that has logged 26,000 complaints. —Curbed, 12 Aug. 2022 In New York, the fate of old food has recently inflamed passions and caused a political stink. —Anne Barnard, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English stincan; akin to Old High German stinkan to emit a smell
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing stink
Kids Definition
stink
1 of 2 verb ˈstiŋk
stank ˈstaŋk or stunk ˈstəŋk ; stunk; stinking
or stunk ˈstəŋk ; stunk; stinking 1
: to give off or cause to have an unpleasant smell
the garbage pail stinks
2
: to be very bad or unpleasant
that news really stinks
stinker noun
stink
2 of 2 noun1
: a strong unpleasant odor : stench
2
: a public outcry against something : fuss
made a big stink when asked to leave
stinky adjective
ˈstiŋ-kē
stink 1 of 2
noun
1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell the stink of burned plastic lingered in the kitchen for days after we accidentally melted a spatula on the stove Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stench
- reek
- funk
- scent
- rankness
- foulness
- rancidity
- filth
- mustiness
- badness
- vileness
- odor
- staleness
- sniff
- dirtiness
- fetidness
- fustiness
- acridness
- nastiness
- emission
- malodorousness
- filthiness
- dirt
- odorousness
- redolence
- effluvium
- odoriferousness
- effluvia
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- perfume
- fragrance
- aroma
- sweetness
- spiciness
- bouquet
- floweriness
- savoriness
- lusciousness
- ambrosia
2
as in objection
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent many town residents raised an unholy stink about the proposal to increase taxes yet again Synonyms & Similar Words
- objection
- exception
- complaint
- protest
- question
- fuss
- challenge
- criticism
- doubt
- demur
- difficulty
- kick
- suspicion
- remonstrance
- expostulation
- demurrer
- demurral
- dispute
- squabble
- qualm
- compunction
- dissent
- quibble
- skepticism
- censure
- uncertainty
- distrust
- static
- misunderstanding
- mistrust
- reluctance
- scruple
- unease
- misgiving
- cavil
- quarrel
- debate
- argument
- misdoubt
- disobedience
- dubitation
- uneasiness
- rebellion
- niggle
- conflict
- unwillingness
- hassle
- dubiety
- defiance
- reservation
- mistrustfulness
- distrustfulness
- indetermination
- incertitude
- qualmishness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approval
- willingness
- sanction
- agreement
- acceptance
- compliance
- obedience
- acquiescence
- assent
stink
2 of 2verb
1
as in to reek
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again Synonyms & Similar Words
- reek
- smell
- rot
- disgust
- decompose
- exhale
- decay
- revolt
- savor
- savour
- spoil
- offend
- repulse
2
as in to suck
to be objectionable or unsatisfactory their team really stinks this year Synonyms & Similar Words
- suck
- smell
- bite
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rule
- rock
Phrases Containing stink
- plumbago
- plumbago blue
- plumbago family
- plumbago gray
- plumbago slate
- plumbagos
- plumbane
- plumbate
- plumbates
- plumbed
- plumbed in
- plumbeous
- plumbeous gnatcatcher
- plumbeous vireo
- plumber
- plumber block
- plumber's furnace
- plumber's helper
- plumber's snake
- plumber's soil
- plumberies
- plumbers
- plumbery
- plumbest
- plumbiccer