scenting

verb

present participle of scent
1
as in perfuming
to fill or infuse with a pleasant odor or odor-releasing substance fancy bars of soap scented with lavender

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sniffing
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose the dog scented a rabbit and suddenly took off

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of he scented danger

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 scenting Our essential oil diffuser, nebulizer, and basket full of oils have been happily taken in by my mother-in-law, and are now scenting her living and guest room. — The Spruce, 14 Sep. 2026 The point is simply to have fun tapping into senses and dimensions, whether scenting love notes or entire honeymoon suites. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026 This reed diffuser is excellent for scenting large spaces like living rooms. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 11 June 2026 This year, brands are betting big on banana, scenting their latest launches with the distinctly sweet and utterly nostalgic aroma in time for the hot season ahead. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 19 May 2026 One flower goes a long way in scenting an outdoor space, so don’t surround your patio with pots full of them. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 Marin Humane offers an array of classes for you and your canine buddy, from basic obedience to scenting to agility. — Lisa Bloch, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scenting
  1. perfuming
  2. sniffing
  3. sensing
  4. smelling
  5. feeling
  6. inhaling
  7. seeing
Verb
  • Castellón To the north, Castellón unfolds as a mountainous marvel where medieval citadels, golden beaches, and tiny fishing villages create a landscape of contrasts, with the scent of citrus perfuming the air.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Butterflies are drawn to the small, white flowers that cover plants in spring, perfuming the garden with their sweet fragrance.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 July 2026
Definition of perfuming
Verb
  • Alaniz then detained her for a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted to the vehicle.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And security inside Alice Tully Hall, where the film premiered, was certainly tight—metal detectors, physical checks of bags, K9 bomb-sniffing dogs.
    — Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of sniffing
Verb
  • As defense shifts from traditional armor toward connected missile-defense grids and real-time targeting, its components become increasingly central to the weapons and sensing systems that make those networks work.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Its potential applications span communications, sensing, and electronic warfare.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensing
Verb
  • Dove adds that the skin’s microbiome shifts with hormonal changes, aging and lifestyle habits, which can lead to more odor-causing bacteria breaking down sweat into stronger-smelling compounds.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Ants line up and overrun a picnic through smelling a neighbor’s pheromones with their tiny antennae.
    — Michael Morris, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of smelling
Verb
  • Dining here is fun, fresh, plentiful, and food is cooked to perfection—but also fuel for long game drives that will keep you feeling spritely, never weighed down.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • All together, her Paris party attire nods to the past without actually feeling retro.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of feeling
Verb
  • But some people abuse it by inhaling it to feel relaxed or euphoric.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Tottenham attempted to offload Bissouma last summer, and the club later initiated another internal investigation after an image leaked of Bissouma inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon again.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of inhaling
Verb
  • Machchhar said his daughter had come to visit him in hospital but got scared seeing him in his condition.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • There are few things more destabilizing than seeing an ex in the wild.
    — Eileen Kelly, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of seeing

Browse Nearby Words

scented
scenting
scents
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All