smoky

adjective

ˈsmō-kē 

variants or less commonly smokey

smokier; smokiest

1

: emitting smoke especially in large quantities

a smoky fireplace

2

a

: having the characteristics of or resembling smoke

a smoky haze

b

: suggestive of smoke especially in flavor or odor

3

a

: filled with smoke

a smoky room

b

: made dark or black by or as if by smoke

4

: having a low throaty quality

a smoky voice

smokily

ˈsmō-kə-lē 

adverb

smokiness

ˈsmō-kē-nəs 

noun

Examples of smoky in a Sentence

Her dress was a smoky blue.

Her smoky voice drew me in.

She gave him a smoky look.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dacus stripped down the shiny pop stunner, supplying her buttery, smoky vocals to a ghostly tempo. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2025

Bitter white pepper and smoky leather accords provide an even edgier twist. —Venus Wong, Refinery29, 1 Apr. 2025

Made of 100% Chenin Blanc, this semi-dry wine has a smoky, flinty aspect, as well as some age on it. —Lana Bortolot, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Visitors can sample smoky, small-batch mezcal straight from the source at mezcalerías like Hacienda Mezcalera El Mitleño, which dates back to 1948. —Meagan Drillinger, AFAR Media, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing smoky

• smoky quartz
• smoky topaz

Rhymes for smoky

• cloche
• gnocchi
• loci
• pokey
• smokey
• karaoke

Kids Definition

smoky

adjective

variants also smokey

ˈsmō-kē 

smokier; smokiest

1

: giving off smoke especially in large quantities

smoky stoves

2

: resembling or suggestive of smoke

a smoky flavor

3

: filled with or darkened by smoke

a smoky room

smokily

-kə-lē 

adverb

smokiness

-kē-nəs 

noun