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
2
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
A. F. Wills
smeller
noun
Synonyms
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
Christina Shepherd McGuire, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024
Stations invited folks to stop and literally smell the roses — or, rather, the scent of lemon, ginger, geranium, patchouli and other oils (which could be dabbed onto cotton balls and taken along for comfort, if needed, later in the day).
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Stepping into this shop is a visceral experience — the smell of shoe polish, the blues playing in the background, the walls covered in fading clips from decades-old issues of the Rocky Mountain News.
—Beth Rankin, The Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smell 
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Verb
Champagne Toast 3-Wick Candle This fruity candle smells like a sparkling spritzer—perfect for setting the mood for a festive gathering.
—Christina Shepherd McGuire, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024
Stations invited folks to stop and literally smell the roses — or, rather, the scent of lemon, ginger, geranium, patchouli and other oils (which could be dabbed onto cotton balls and taken along for comfort, if needed, later in the day).
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
Don’t worry, synthetics smell like deer and work fine.
—Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Stepping into this shop is a visceral experience — the smell of shoe polish, the blues playing in the background, the walls covered in fading clips from decades-old issues of the Rocky Mountain News.
—Beth Rankin, The Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smell
Dictionary Entries Near smell
Cite this Entry
“Smell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smell. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smell
1 of 2 verb1
: to become aware of an odor by means of the sense organs located in the nose
smell dinner cooking
2
: to detect or become aware of as if by the sense of smell
smell trouble
3
: to use the sense of smell
4
a
: to have or give off an odor
the candles smell like roses
b
: to have a disagreeable odor : stink
c
: to give a hint or trace of something
the plan smells of trickery
smeller
noun
smell
2 of 2 noun1
2
: the process or power of becoming aware of an odor
also
: the sense by which one detects odor
3
: a special quality associated with a given source : aura
the smell of adventure
4
: an act of smelling
Medical Definition
smell
1 of 2 verb
: to perceive the odor or scent of through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves : get the odor or scent of with the nose
: to exercise the sense of smell
smell
2 of 2 noun1
: the property of a thing that affects the olfactory organs : odor
2
: the special sense concerned with the perception of odor
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