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
Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Guests do not need to handle any of the cooking — and won't be coming home smelling like a grill.
—Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 20 Nov. 2024
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District said Wednesday the smell is emanating from the drop shafts that connect the area's sewers to the deep tunnel about 300 feet underground.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smell 
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.
Verb
As Blazing Saddles so eloquently hinted, the Wild West probably smelled more like bean farts than this gorgeous scented candle.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Guests do not need to handle any of the cooking — and won't be coming home smelling like a grill.
—Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
As a bonus, Cherry loves the oil’s refreshing smell, with notes of grapefruit flower, wood and bergamot.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 20 Nov. 2024
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District said Wednesday the smell is emanating from the drop shafts that connect the area's sewers to the deep tunnel about 300 feet underground.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 20 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 26 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share