Smell

/smɛl/ · noun

Meaning

A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance..

Definitions by Sense

1. A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.
2. (physiology) The sense that detects odours.
3. A conclusion or intuition that a situation is wrong, more complex than it seems, or otherwise inappropriate.
4. (transitive) To sense a smell or smells.
5. (intransitive, copulative) Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
6. (obsolete) To give heed to.

Example Sentences

I love the smell of fresh bread.

The penetrating smell of cabbage reached the nose of Toad as he lay prostrate in his misery on the floor, and gave him the idea for a moment that perhaps life was not such a blank and desperate thing as he had imagined. But still he wailed, and kicked with his legs, and refused to be comforted. So the wise girl retired for the time, but, of course, a good deal of the smell of hot cabbage remained behind, as it will do, and Toad, between his sobs, sniffed and reflected, and gradually began to think new and inspiring thoughts: of chivalry, and poetry[…]

I’m just saying, this has a bad smell to it.

I can smell fresh bread.

Smell the milk and tell me whether it's gone off.

The roses smell lovely.

Her feet smell of cheese.

The drunkard smelt like a brewery.

Synonyms for smell

Antonyms for smell

Related Words

Word Forms

• smells
• smelling
• smelled
• smelt

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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