1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell
a terrible reek coming from the garbage can
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reek
Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025
Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Return to office: Some federal workers say Trump’s frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago while ordering government employees back to the office reeked of hypocrisy.
—Josh Feldman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Noun
Her mother’s pullets were raised clean on a green yard, on a menu of crushed corn and wayward bugs, not manufactured in the crowd and reek of a modern-day factory farm, fattened on fish meal.
—Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025
Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
And her apology to Trump voters reeked of corporate cajoling.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Return to office: Some federal workers say Trump’s frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago while ordering government employees back to the office reeked of hypocrisy.
—Josh Feldman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
Noun
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Listen to the fans thrumming above, passing the stench of death between rooms.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
13 May 2025
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One persistent theory was that plants produce these compounds passively, through oxidation of more common precursor chemicals, or that these plants partner with bacteria to produce their stenches.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
8 May 2025
Noun
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That cut fastball in the heart of the strike zone is the one Cal Raleigh hit through the haze to the seats beyond left field to give the Mariners the lead.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 May 2025
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Movies For Subscribers The 27 best movie theaters in Los Angeles Nov. 22, 2023 And so, aviation mayhem ensues, as Lucas fights off a coterie of bad guys through a haze of drugs and liquor.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
Verb
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While the fan airs out the vessel, boaters should smell for gas vapors, which are easily combustible, said Saltzburg, who posts boating safety videos on YouTube.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2025
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New York cannot afford to go down 3-0, but Indiana smells blood in the water.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Noun
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The views of rooftops, treetops, and (if the fog cooperates) the Bay are nothing short of cinematic.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Zero visibility strategy: In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2025
Verb
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By championship standards, this Nuggets team stinks.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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But Okuyama and his colleagues managed to follow that stink to a beautiful set of discoveries.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
8 May 2025
Noun
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Then there’s the ocean merging with the western clouds.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
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The resulting clouds can act as insulating layers in the atmosphere, often helping to reduce surface temperatures and also the extent of sea ice coverage around Antarctica.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
Noun
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The non-aerosol mist gives skin a radiant sheen while shielding it with broad-spectrum SPF 50.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
26 May 2025
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Full sun Soil Type: Medium, well-draining, average Soil pH: Adaptable (6.0-8.0) USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9 Often called blue mist for their airy clouds of late summer blooms, bluebeard is a deciduous perennial that behaves like a shrub in warmer reaches of its range.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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