Definition of malodorousnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word malodorous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of malodorous are fetid, fusty, musty, noisome, putrid, rank, and stinking. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

How do fusty and musty relate to one another, in the sense of malodorous?

Both fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar

In what contexts can noisome take the place of malodorous?

The synonyms noisome and malodorous are sometimes interchangeable, but noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

When can putrid be used instead of malodorous?

The words putrid and malodorous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

When would rank be a good substitute for malodorous?

In some situations, the words rank and malodorous are roughly equivalent. However, rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How are the words stinking and fetid related as synonyms of malodorous?

Both stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

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 malodorous Be advised that only a small fraction of arums are malodorous. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 Food that needed to be trashed for age or temperature abuse, malodorous air and filthy food containers were among the 33 violations an inspector found at a popular Miami seafood restaurant. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026 However, these newer deodorants marketed as whole-body deodorants often do a good job at deodorizing the areas that create malodorous smells. ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026 Midsummer is usually when sargassum, the floating seaweed that often washes up in malodorous piles on Florida beaches, starts to wane. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for malodorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malodorous
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Adjective
  • Not only is Earth's closest celestial neighbor a pristine time capsule ripe for study – preserved almost unaltered throughout the course of billions of years – but the moon is viewed as a stepping stone for human exploration deeper into the cosmos.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Alongside ripe avocados, fresh tomatoes, and spices, this dip is topped with queso blanco and pomegranate seeds.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • The bleak tortures Ohm concocts for his characters are as vile as the Bilberry’s fetid jacuzzi.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The evolutionary advantage of fetid roses was that their odor deterred animal herds that grazed in their habitat.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • During hot weather, if your trash often contains wet food scraps that quickly become smelly, like vegetable peels, produce, leftovers, meat, or fish, clean the bin every two weeks.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
  • Dispose of any smelly garbage or sticky residues, as these can attract flies and ants.
    Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • Human remains were found in the chimney of a public school in Queens, New York, on Tuesday morning while officials were investigating a foul odor, according to police.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • While some of the Dutch pleaded for a foul, Gakpo raced in to score on the rebound.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Let’s respect and appreciate nature in all its messy, sometimes stinky beauty at the cove.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2026
  • Your bath towels and stinky socks should probably be washed in warm.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • Noah Kahan is speaking out about a disgusting habit picked up by some music fans.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • French broadcaster French Pierron was under fire for calling childbirth 'a disgusting moment.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
    Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026
  • Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Malodorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malodorous. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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