reeked

past tense of reek
as in smelled
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell those old sneakers reek something awful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example 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 reeked Instead, the two biggest options trades on the tape Tuesday reeked of skepticism. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 The main barn had collapsed, the lodge reeked of pack rats, garter snakes had claimed another building, and one of the cabins was leaning downhill. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026 The Mystic of my childhood, though, had a modicum of edge — kids with anarchy symbols on their jackets skateboarded outside a coffee shop that reeked of weed, and locals got rowdy at a dysfunctional watering hole called the Draw Bridge Inne. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 But the next three years reeked of alpha decay—the firm’s average yearly gain slumped from eighteen per cent to nine. — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 His shirt reeked of the flowery-formaldehyde tartness of mothballs pickling dress pockets in a closet. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 The Phillies still trailed, and the move reeked of desperation from Mattingly, who is desperate because his team cannot score runs. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 31 May 2026 The gangway between the tents opened up to a vast area of benches that reeked of wet dogs under the pressure of texturizing sprays, mousse, rollers, flat irons, and blow-dryers. — Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 Ed’s uncle’s garage apartment reeked of must and jug wine. — Nick Dothée, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeked
smelled
Verb
  • In my early memories, my grandfather had smelled like carpet cleaner.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • For Dylan Feierabend, there are few things more life-affirming than fishing for redtail surfperch and smelt at Centerville Beach in rural Humboldt County.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reeked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeked. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!