1
as in sniffing
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose
we smelled the aroma of freshly baked cookies as soon as we walked in the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of
I smell something fishy about this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smelling
Deer have been known to steer clear of strong-smelling fragrances, such as soap.
—
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunshots and smelling gun powder, but details of the incident remain unclear.
—Michelle Tauber, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Smoke from wildfires burning along the Florida-Georgia line is now impacting air quality in metro Atlanta, raising health concerns as people report seeing haze and smelling smoke across the city.
—Daniel Wilkerson, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
For some, working with soil evokes nostalgia for childhood summers, smelling thorny roses in bloom and plucking ripe tomatoes off the vine.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2026
Fight funky-smelling shoes Dirty laundry isn't the only stinky problem a dryer sheet can mitigate.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
More evidence is needed to determine if smelling lemon water can significantly increase energy and alertness.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Occasionally my therapist would have a delicious-smelling soup on simmer in another part of the house — not a design choice, but a pleasant sensory experience in the background.
—Wendy C. Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
No one wants to splurge on a Turkish cotton towel that will end up smelling like a locker room.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunshots and smelling gun powder, but details of the incident remain unclear.
—Michelle Tauber, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Smoke from wildfires burning along the Florida-Georgia line is now impacting air quality in metro Atlanta, raising health concerns as people report seeing haze and smelling smoke across the city.
—Daniel Wilkerson, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
For some, working with soil evokes nostalgia for childhood summers, smelling thorny roses in bloom and plucking ripe tomatoes off the vine.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2026
Fight funky-smelling shoes Dirty laundry isn't the only stinky problem a dryer sheet can mitigate.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
More evidence is needed to determine if smelling lemon water can significantly increase energy and alertness.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Occasionally my therapist would have a delicious-smelling soup on simmer in another part of the house — not a design choice, but a pleasant sensory experience in the background.
—Wendy C. Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
No one wants to splurge on a Turkish cotton towel that will end up smelling like a locker room.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smelling
Verb
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Airport-style baggage and body scanners have been installed at facility entrances and the county has increased the frequency of searches and the use of drug-sniffing canines.—
Jason Henry,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
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The Warriors, according to Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor, have begun sniffing around current Florida coach Todd Golden as a potential replacement if the 60-year-old Kerr does not return.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The other is exploring the use of optical and X-ray sensing techniques to detect and analyze nuclear tests from space—including any low-yield or concealed tests.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
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Turion develops space sensing technology, and GITAI USA had its start as an in-space robotics company.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Feeling restless and reckless, Michael (LJ Benet) is drawn to a hard-rocking local band that is secretly a quartet of young vampires that is literally sucking the life out of the community.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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In 1992, the Daily Mirror published photos of Bryan sucking on the royal’s toes while on vacation in Saint-Tropez.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For breathwork, Yasinksi recommends inhaling for four seconds, pausing for four seconds at the top, and then exhaling slowly.—
Lesly Gregory,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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Those with asthma or other breathing illnesses are more sensitive to hydrogen sulfide and may have trouble breathing after inhaling it.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some residents living as far away as Alameda and Contra Costa counties reporting feeling the shaking, as did Peninsula residents south of the city.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Zuccarello talked to the media after the game and participated in the morning skate before Game 2 but wasn’t feeling right and hasn’t played since.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The one big missing piece was seeing her team finally capture an elusive state championship.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Mario Tama / Getty Images file In a report whose data was largely compiled before the recent run-up, Bank of America analysts found that so far, only lower-income households were seeing a significant impact on their budgets from higher gas prices.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Watch the video above to see a boy’s powerful reaction to finally hearing clearly.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Hutson and Brown are scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing Thursday.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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January 20 – February 18 Your voice stands out today, and people are noticing.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
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Aquarius January 20 – February 18 Your voice stands out today, and people are noticing.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smelling. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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