as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell
I would rather not be the one to wash your reeking gym clothes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
Verb
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
Adjective
-
Four plays, 76 yards, in 25 stinking seconds.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
22 Dec. 2019
Verb
-
That film rubs off on your clothes and leaves them smelling stale and feeling stiff.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
-
These toxic elements sat in the channel’s then-stagnant water, which led to a die-off of all vegetation and the emission of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Volunteers willing to pick fruit from trees at homes in Rancho Bernardo, Poway and surrounding communities are needed this spring as local citrus trees fill with ripe fruits.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Raised by Vietnamese immigrant parents, Le was taught to be wary of strangers — generosity was ripe for exploitation.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Citizens Energy customers should be on the lookout for a seasonal greeting from the gas and water utility this winter — with a card that is more fetid than festive.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
10 Dec. 2025
-
From the fetid and overcrowded cells of the town’s migrant detention center, officers pick out a Sudanese man who had been arrested the day before.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Vermin, malodorous airs and other issues caused 14 Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach restaurants to fail inspection last week.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
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Democrats are an eye-watering 26 points underwater while Republicans are a more mildly malodorous 11 points beneath the surface.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Early Friday morning, the president of the United States shared on his social media account a foul video that portrayed former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes and himself as a lion.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
These toxic elements sat in the channel’s then-stagnant water, which led to a die-off of all vegetation and the emission of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Empty your washing machine promptly at the end of every cycle to prevent bacteria growth and smelly odors from developing in your damp clothes, advises Palmer-Smith.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
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Remedies like vinegar and baking soda can be used once a month or whenever towels start to become stiff or smelly.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This neighborhood, peopled almost entirely by the people who claim to have been driven from Poland and Russia, is the eyesore of New York and perhaps the filthiest place on the western continent.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Rodents, roaches, flies and knives stored in filthy places were among the myriad violations on this week’s Sick and Shut Down List of South Florida restaurants that failed state inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reeking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeking. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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