reek
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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It’s not dense, it doesn’t blabber on and it certainly doesn’t reek of masculine self-obsession.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
Disproportionate death sentences may be convincing to those who make clemency decisions, and they reek of unfairness.
From Slate ● Mar. 6, 2026
So the two embarked on a survey in the university hostels asking a truly human question: if our sneakers reek, doesn't that ruin the entire experience of using a shoe rack?
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2025
He suffers from aches, hemorrhoids, lazy eye and trimethylaminuria, a rare genetic condition that causes him to reek of fish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2023
After months of nothing but salt-water-bleached smells, this reek of vegetable organic matter was intoxicating.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
And when the wind whips, the air reeks of a potent campfire — but no campers are around.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
The shelter in the town hall car park has excrement smeared on the floor and reeks of urine.
From Barron's ● Mar. 14, 2026
It’s a near-catastrophic narrative oversight that, like a handful of other plot holes, reeks of studio meddling by Warner Bros. after early test screenings failed to meet expectations.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
By leaving the couple of hours between posts “to me, reeks of some sort of impropriety,” Adami said.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 8, 2026
He must have come by this in the same way he came by the magazines, not honestly: it reeks of black market.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
By late May, a judge declared the indictment a bad-faith effort that reeked of vindictive prosecution and dismissed it.
From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2026
After retreating to my car, which reeked of smoke, for a brief break the morning after the fires erupted, I got a message from my editor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2025
It was filthy, reeked of paint, and had no kitchen, mattresses, or water.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2024
It also reeked of “desperation,” per former federal prosecutor Harry Litman.
From Salon ● May 29, 2024
He had put a net over his impeccably waved hair and reeked of eau de cologne.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Snake is a wonderfully pulpy, instantly iconic creation, an outcast adventurer reeking of sweat and post-Vietnam cynicism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025
Fans have been speaking to BBC Sport to vent their frustration at the situation, with one saying: "Spurs now enter the final few weeks of the transfer window reeking of desperation."
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2025
If you’re not keen on slathering animal fat all over your face and reeking of beef, there are a few alternatives that promise similar results and smell much better.
From Salon ● Jan. 25, 2025
Far from the handsome man she has pictured, he struts in with an “air of cheap assurance” and flashes his trinkets, reeking of cheap cologne, hair coated in bear grease.
From Slate ● May 27, 2024
I contemplated my chances and fanned a dim ember of hope in my heart as I sat in the sun, reeking like a giant match.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
Vocabulary lists containing reek
The Nose Knows: Olfactory Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Something Smells: From "Malodorous" to "Mephitic" to "It Reeks!"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Smell Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
