1
2
as in senses
to have a vague awareness of
I smell something fishy about this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in scents
the quality of a thing that makes it perceptible to the sense organs in the nose
the smell of vanilla is supposed to be very soothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in splashes
a very small amount
the pie has barely a smell of ginger, but lots of cinnamon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in auras
a special quality or impression associated with something
a law firm with a mahogany-lined boardroom that has the discernible smell of money and power
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples 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 smells
Rose Dommu, Them, 11 Dec. 2024
Minimize smells by dealing quickly with accidents.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Elle Fanning is Sylvie Russo, a muse who politically activates Dylan at a key moment; the moniker may be different, but a Suze (Rotolo) by any other name smells just as sweet, and Fanning fleshes out a woman who’s too often been relegated to a footnote in Bob’s saga.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024
This candle brings the delicious scent of a wreath into your home and smells just like Christmas, according to reviewers.
—Melissa Epifano, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024
There are so many plants at Huntington Gardens that the air feels and smells different.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
By Sarah Johns, The Fresh Toast Some homes or indoor spaces can hold smells more than others.
—Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Then notice how much fresher your bathroom smells.
—Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
But the sights and sounds and smells worked their magic, and talk came easily around the altar.
—John Paul Brammer, Bon Appétit, 21 Oct. 2024
Verb
This energetic cirrus scent smells like the heart of summer, ripe juicy lemons, and tangerine offset by apple and jasmine.
—Rose Dommu, Them, 11 Dec. 2024
Minimize smells by dealing quickly with accidents.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Elle Fanning is Sylvie Russo, a muse who politically activates Dylan at a key moment; the moniker may be different, but a Suze (Rotolo) by any other name smells just as sweet, and Fanning fleshes out a woman who’s too often been relegated to a footnote in Bob’s saga.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024
This candle brings the delicious scent of a wreath into your home and smells just like Christmas, according to reviewers.
—Melissa Epifano, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024
There are so many plants at Huntington Gardens that the air feels and smells different.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
By Sarah Johns, The Fresh Toast Some homes or indoor spaces can hold smells more than others.
—Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Then notice how much fresher your bathroom smells.
—Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
But the sights and sounds and smells worked their magic, and talk came easily around the altar.
—John Paul Brammer, Bon Appétit, 21 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smells
Noun
-
Moringa Melt features the brand’s signature blend of Frankincense, Rose, and Neroli essential oils which uplifts the senses with their natural aromas.Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Fruity is often used to describe aromas or flavors of, well, fruit in a sparkling wine.Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
About half the deal flow the investment fund sees originates through one of those two businesses, a quarter from the 50 LPs in the fund and the rest from cold calls to, or from, new concepts.Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The Mail app sees new categorization options and more.David Phelan, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
But what if your littles have five years between them, like ours—or if your family included an even broader age range?Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024
-
Some sea creatures manifest that may frighten the littles.Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The crew-height stays up well without shifting around, and the Merino makes up just under half of the composite, which is enough to resist odors and feel soft on feet without compromising material strength.Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Other signs to look for are floating debris, rust, mildew, or foul odors.Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
At the same time, how else to describe the last 15 years of having social media in our pockets but a vast, real-time experiment on our brains and social constructs when we're all exposed to highly addictive activities that are known to affect our moods and understanding of basic facts?Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
-
The service is rooted in familiarity, and its playlists centred around emotions, moods and activities as opposed to individual artists, albums, or genres.Diana Spehar, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to smells
Thesaurus Entries Near smells
Cite this Entry
“Smells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smells. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share