smell
verb
\ ˈsmel
\
\
smelled\ ˈsmeld
\
or chiefly British smelt\ ˈsmelt
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smelling
\
or chiefly British smelt\ ˈsmelt
\;
smelling
Definition of smell
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose
2
: to detect or become aware of as if by the sense of smell
I smell trouble
3
: to emit the odor of
1
: to exercise the sense of smell
b(1)
: to have an offensive odor : stink
(2)
: to be of bad or questionable quality
all this from the moral point of view smells— A. F. Wills
smell a rat
smell blood
smell the roses
: to have a suspicion of something wrong
: to sense an opponent's weakness or vulnerability
: to enjoy or savor life
smell
nounDefinition of smell (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor
2a
: the process, function, or power of smelling
b
: the sense concerned with the perception of odor
3a
: a very small amount : trace
add only a smell of garlic
b
: a pervading or characteristic quality : aura
the smell of affluence, of power— Harry Hervey
4
: an act or instance of smelling
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Synonyms for smell
Synonyms: Verb
nose, scent, sniff, snuff, whiff
Synonyms: Noun
aroma, odor, redolence, scent, sniff
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Examples of smell in a Sentence
Verb
She leaned over and smelled the flowers. I have a cold right now so I can't smell. I can't smell anything because I'm so stuffed up. I could smell dinner cooking. I think I smell gas. This car smells like mold. Can't you smell the profits?Noun
the distinctive smell of onions Dogs have a keen sense of smell.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Police did not smell it, and took for lab analysis a cigarette that appeared to have been dipped in an unknown substance. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland.com, "Social Security check rerouted to Beachwood Inn: Orange Police Blotter," 19 July 2019 For cats, a diffuser or spray called Feliway, which is also available at pet stores and online, releases a pheromone that is a calming scent for cats (most humans can’t smell it). — Tanya Edwards, BostonGlobe.com, "Here’s how to keep your pets from freaking out during summer fireworks," 26 June 2019 In one study, researchers treated young damselfish with high-CO2 water and then placed a plastic bag holding a predatory fish in their tank—so the damselfish could see the predator, but not smell it. — Elizabeth Preston, Science | AAAS, "A growing sensory smog threatens the ability of fish to communicate, navigate, and survive," 20 June 2019 While the smoke levels may not reach the level of unhealthful standards, people may notice it and smell it. — Mike Cruz, azcentral, "Maricopa County health watch for air quality on tap for Sunday," 15 June 2019 Doctors sounded the mysteries of their union by needling each brother at random, or feeding one of them asparagus and smelling the other’s urine. — Julian Lucas, The New York Review of Books, "The Great Assimilationists," 21 Feb. 2019 One officer wrote in a report that McDowell smelled of alcohol. — John Wisely, Detroit Free Press, "Malik McDowell's dreams crashed on his ATV: 'He's not the same person'," 28 July 2019 And then there's the star of the collection — the Strawberry Dream Color Palette ($48) — stocked with 15 matte and shimmery shades that actually smell subtly of strawberries. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Lunar Beauty Just Dropped Its New Strawberry Dream Makeup Collection," 27 July 2019 Cocktail cups smelling of passion-fruit juice and rum and cans of Medalla beer began circulating. — Emily Witt, The New Yorker, "Puerto Rico’s Loud and Fervent Days of Protest," 26 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Maurice’s case and several other lawsuits against the sounds of church bells, cow bells, cicadas, and the pungent smells from farms have prompted a national debate over how to protect rural culture. — Nicolas Vaux-montagny, BostonGlobe.com, "Cock-a-doodle-doo! French rooster crows over court win," 5 Sep. 2019 Make your marketing smell sweeter at askmrmarketing.com. — Ramona Sentinel, "Ask Mr. Marketing: You should take a shower," 16 Aug. 2019 Perhaps best known for its pungent smell and medicinal properties, ginkgo actually boasts an impressive backstory. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Smithsonian Scientists Need Ginkgo Leaves to Study Climate Change—They Need Your Help," 6 Aug. 2019 Its smell is surprisingly strong, a sharp, insistent, artificial citrus note that’s a million miles from the scent of the sun shining on an orange grove. — Bethany Jean Clement, Twin Cities, "Tang went to the moon and is still popular today (but not in the good old USA)," 20 July 2019 Later; back in the lunar module, its pungent smell—like gunpowder: The pleasure of adapting one’s movements to one-sixth of Earth’s gravity. — Buzz Aldrin, Popular Mechanics, "Why I Walked on the Moon," 20 July 2019 The ladybugs came in a box, which immediately released their unique smell when Mullins and Westminster City Arborist Eric Schlitzer opened it. — Catalina Righter, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Westminster releases 100,000 insects ... on purpose," 18 July 2019 Horback also notes that dogs look for more visual cues, such as bared teeth or flattened ears, in their kin, whereas pigs will often rely on their sense of smell from a fellow pig’s mouth and snout. — Liz Langley, National Geographic, "Pet pigs can communicate with humans—especially when food is involved," 11 July 2019 The smell of tear gas from the police’s midnight eviction of the protesters had barely dispersed before the full-throated condemnation began. — Time, "The Ransacking of Hong Kong's Legislature Prompts a 'Zero Tolerance' Warning From Beijing," 2 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.