reek 1 of 2

reek

2 of 2

verb

as in to smell
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 reek
Noun
Her mother’s pullets were raised clean on a green yard, on a menu of crushed corn and wayward bugs, not manufactured in the crowd and reek of a modern-day factory farm, fattened on fish meal. Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025 Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil. Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
And her apology to Trump voters reeked of corporate cajoling. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025 Return to office: Some federal workers say Trump’s frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago while ordering government employees back to the office reeked of hypocrisy. Josh Feldman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
Noun
  • Listen to the fans thrumming above, passing the stench of death between rooms.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 13 May 2025
  • One persistent theory was that plants produce these compounds passively, through oxidation of more common precursor chemicals, or that these plants partner with bacteria to produce their stenches.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • May in Chicago this year will be remembered for a rare dust storm, a gloomy haze from Canadian wildfires and unseasonably chilly temperatures throughout.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 May 2025
  • There is a possibility of patchy smoke and haze on Friday across north-central and northeastern Missouri, as well as into central Missouri.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • While the fan airs out the vessel, boaters should smell for gas vapors, which are easily combustible, said Saltzburg, who posts boating safety videos on YouTube.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
  • New York cannot afford to go down 3-0, but Indiana smells blood in the water.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • If driving through fog becomes inevitable, remember these safety guidelines: Moderate your speed: Slow down and allocate extra travel time to reach your destination safely.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 31 May 2025
  • In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • By championship standards, this Nuggets team stinks.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • But Okuyama and his colleagues managed to follow that stink to a beautiful set of discoveries.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • The rain and clouds will result in even cooler temperatures.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
  • The resulting clouds can act as insulating layers in the atmosphere, often helping to reduce surface temperatures and also the extent of sea ice coverage around Antarctica.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • The non-aerosol mist gives skin a radiant sheen while shielding it with broad-spectrum SPF 50.
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 26 May 2025
  • Full sun Soil Type: Medium, well-draining, average Soil pH: Adaptable (6.0-8.0) USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9 Often called blue mist for their airy clouds of late summer blooms, bluebeard is a deciduous perennial that behaves like a shrub in warmer reaches of its range.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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