reeking 1 of 2

adjective

as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell I would rather not be the one to wash your reeking gym clothes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reeking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of reek
as in smelling
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell those old sneakers reek something awful

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 reeking
Verb
The meteorite hurtled over the east coast before crash-landing in a house in Hillsborough, New Jersey where the homeowner found it, reeking of sulfur. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 15 July 2026 Today, a checkerboard of subdivisions crosses east to west, and the remaining grasslands are buried each day under reeking asphalt and rolls of turfgrass. — Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026 And the smell is soft and pleasant, instead of reeking of alcohol. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026 Following the opening verse with the characterization of his lady’s eyes, Shakespeare proceeded to give a rundown of her other features in less than flattering terms, including her lips (pale), hair (wiry), voice (grating) and breath (reeking). — David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026 Once Catalina was asleep, Pedro tossed his backpack, reeking of the day’s clothes, into the bedroom. — Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026 When he was lugged in Saugus in 2011, reeking of cheap domestic lager, he was first told to turn off the engine in his unmarked MSP Crown Vic. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeking
  1. stinking
  2. smelling
  3. ripe
  4. fetid
  5. malodorous
  6. foul
  7. smelly
  8. filthy
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • Not the good, high-altitude ozone that shields us from dangerous UV light, but bad ozone, hovering right above ground level — stinking, brownish, grayish photochemical smog.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of stinking
Verb
  • Specifically, the Melrose Place Body Cleanser, which leaves your skin baby-soft and smelling fantastic all day long.
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 11 Aug. 2026
  • During Florida’s 2024 legalization campaign, Governor Ron DeSantis repeatedly argued that legalization would leave the state smelling like cannabis.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of smelling
Adjective
  • Talwani said the case was now ripe for a decision because the USPS had proposed a rule, and the election was closer.
    — Nate Raymond, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • With such a glut of quirky comedy coming out of New Zealand, let’s hope this continues for as long as true crime remains ripe for parody.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of ripe
Adjective
  • The Lineage warehouse fire, which erupted a mile away nearly two months ago, still blankets the church every morning with the fetid stench of millions of pounds of rotting food that have yet to be trucked away.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Those releases were queasy, dank, almost fetid, as though Ableton could manipulate flesh as well as frequencies.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fetid
Adjective
  • Skunks can cause anxiety in homeowners by harming lawns and possibly threatening Rover with their malodorous defenses.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
  • Be advised that only a small fraction of arums are malodorous.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Definition of malodorous
Adjective
  • This isn't the first time Pappas has been criticized for using foul language.
    — Zak Spector, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Portland’s Emily Engstler and the Mercury’s Kahleah Copper traded baskets before Katie Lou Samuelson hit the second of two foul shots with 20 seconds left to put the Fire up 84-82.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • Through the trading company Suzuki Shoten, the smelly oil was originally exported to Europe, where it was turned into a solid, odorless fat through a process called hydrogenation.
    — Pei-Hsu Lin, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Double-bag the trash when throwing out wet containers or smelly waste, or bags that are especially heavy.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of smelly
Adjective
  • The game starts with a flashback 30 years ago to a feral, filthy Wolverine who’s living alone in the wilderness.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Few things at airports irritate customers like filthy toilets or water on the restroom floor.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of filthy

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reeked
reeking
reeks
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Cite this Entry

“Reeking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeking. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of reeking for Spanish Speakers

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