Stink — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈstiŋk/

Meaning & Definition of Stink

Stink (verb)

  1. to emit a strong offensive odor
  2. to be offensive; also, to be in bad repute
  3. to possess something to an offensive degree

Stink (noun)

  1. a strong offensive odor, stench
  2. a public outcry against something, fuss

Stink (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a strong unpleasant smell

    "the stink of burned plastic lingered in the kitchen for days after we accidentally melted a spatula on the stove"

    similar: funk, reek, stench
    related: acridness, fetidness, foulness, fustiness, malodorousness, mustiness, odoriferousness, odorousness, rancidity, rankness, staleness, badness, vileness, dirt, dirtiness, filth, filthiness, nastiness, effluvium, emission, odor, redolence, scent, sniff
    opposite: aroma, fragrance, perfume
    near: floweriness, lusciousness, savoriness, spiciness, sweetness, bouquet, ambrosia

  2. a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent

    "many town residents raised an unholy stink about the proposal to increase taxes yet again"

    similar: challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, exception, expostulation, fuss, kick, objection, protest, question, remonstrance
    related: compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple, misunderstanding, cavil, niggle (chiefly British), quibble, argument, conflict, debate, dispute, dissent, hassle, quarrel, squabble, static, censure, criticism, defiance, disobedience, rebellion, distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation (archaic), incertitude, indetermination, misdoubt, mistrust, mistrustfulness, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainty, qualmishness, unease, uneasiness, reluctance, unwillingness
    near: willingness, approval, sanction, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, compliance, obedience

Stink (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give off an extremely unpleasant smell

    "the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again"

    similar: reek
    related: exhale, savor, smell, decay, decompose, rot, spoil, disgust, offend, repulse, revolt

  2. to be objectionable or unsatisfactory

    "their team really stinks this year"

    similar: bite (informal + sometimes impolite), smell, suck (informal + sometimes impolite)
    opposite: rock (slang), rule (slang)

Related Entry: Stink up (verb)

Stink up is a different word from Stink. The synonyms below are for stink up, not for stink.

  1. as in deodorize

    similar: deodorize
    opposite: incense, odorize, perfume, scent

Related Entry: Kick up a fuss (phrase)

Kick up a fuss is a different word from Stink. The synonyms below are for kick up a fuss, not for stink.

  1. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "The kids were kicking up a fuss by the end of the day, so the family left the fair."

    similar: beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, inveigh, keen, kick, kvetch, maunder (chiefly British), moan, murmur, mutter, nag, repine, scream, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, whinge (British), yammer, yawp, yowl
    related: object (to), protest, quarrel (with), cavil, quibble, fret, stew, worry, blubber, cry, sob, bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament
    opposite: crow, delight, rejoice
    near: accept, bear, countenance, endure, take, tolerate, applaud, cheer, commend

Related Entry: Kicked up a fuss (phrase)

Kicked up a fuss is a different word from Stink. The synonyms below are for kicked up a fuss, not for stink.

  1. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "The kids were kicking up a fuss by the end of the day, so the family left the fair."

    similar: beefed, bellyached, bitched, bleated, carped, caterwauled, complained, crabbed, croaked, fussed, griped, grizzled, grouched, groused, growled, grumbled, grumped, hollered, inveighed, keened, kicked, kvetched, maundered (chiefly British), moaned, murmured, muttered, nagged, repined, screamed, squawked, squealed, wailed, whimpered, whined, whinged (British), yammered, yawped, yowled
    related: objected (to), protested, quarreled (with), caviled, quibbled, fretted, stewed, worried, blubbered, cried, sobbed, bemoaned, bewailed, deplored, lamented
    opposite: crowed, delighted, rejoiced
    near: accepted, bore, countenanced, endured, tolerated, took, applauded, cheered, commended

Related Entry: Kicks up a fuss (phrase)

Kicks up a fuss is a different word from Stink. The synonyms below are for kicks up a fuss, not for stink.

  1. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "The kids were kicking up a fuss by the end of the day, so the family left the fair."

    similar: beefs, bellyaches, bitches, bleats, carps, caterwauls, complains, crabs, croaks, fusses, gripes, grizzles, grouches, grouses, growls, grumbles, grumps, hollers, inveighs, keens, kicks, kvetches, maunders (chiefly British), moans, murmurs, mutters, nags, repines, screams, squawks, squeals, wails, whimpers, whines, whinges (British), yammers, yawps, yowls
    related: objects (to), protests, quarrels (with), cavils, quibbles, frets, stews, worries, blubbers, cries, sobs, bemoans, bewails, deplores, laments
    opposite: crows, delights, rejoices
    near: accepts, bears, countenances, endures, takes, tolerates, applauds, cheers, commends

Related Entry: Kicking up a fuss (phrase)

Kicking up a fuss is a different word from Stink. The synonyms below are for kicking up a fuss, not for stink.

  1. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "The kids were kicking up a fuss by the end of the day, so the family left the fair."

    similar: beefing, bellyaching, bitching, bleating, carping, caterwauling, complaining, crabbing, croaking, fussing, griping, grizzling, grouching, grousing, growling, grumbling, grumping, hollering, inveighing, keening, kicking, kvetching, maundering (chiefly British), moaning, murmuring, muttering, nagging, repining, screaming, squawking, squealing, wailing, whimpering, whinging (British), whining, yammering, yawping, yowling
    related: objecting (to), protesting, quarreling (with), caviling, quibbling, fretting, stewing, worrying, blubbering, crying, sobbing, bemoaning, bewailing, deploring, lamenting
    opposite: crowing, delighting, rejoicing
    near: accepting, bearing, countenancing, enduring, taking, tolerating, applauding, cheering, commending

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Stink

The most common words with a similar meaning to Stink:

Informal + sometimes impolite: bite, suck
funk, reek, stench, challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, exception, expostulation, fuss, kick, objection, protest, question, remonstrance, smell

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Stink

Words with the opposite meaning of Stink:

aroma, fragrance, perfume, rock, rule

Related Words for Stink

acridness, fetidness, foulness, fustiness, malodorousness, mustiness, odoriferousness, odorousness, rancidity, rankness, staleness, badness, vileness, dirt, dirtiness, filth, filthiness, nastiness, effluvium, emission, odor, redolence, scent, sniff, compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple, misunderstanding

Near Antonyms of Stink

floweriness, lusciousness, savoriness, spiciness, sweetness, bouquet, ambrosia, willingness, approval, sanction, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, compliance, obedience

Word Forms of Stink

Inflections: stank, stunk, stinking

Derived words: stinky (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Stink

Middle English, from Old English stincan; akin to Old High German stinkan to emit a smell

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Stink

stink bomb, stink bug, stink eye, stink up, stink out, stink up the joint

Frequently Asked Questions about Stink

What does "Stink" mean?

"Stink" means to emit a strong offensive odor. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to emit a strong offensive odor. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Stink"?

Other words for "Stink" include funk, reek, stench, challenge, complaint, demur, demurral and demurrer. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Stink" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Stink"?

There are 95 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Stink". Common alternatives include funk, reek, stench, challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty and exception.

What is the opposite of "Stink"?

Antonyms of "Stink" include aroma, fragrance, perfume, rock and rule. Near antonyms include floweriness, lusciousness, savoriness and spiciness.

How do you use "Stink" in a sentence?

Examples of "Stink" in a sentence: "the stink of burned plastic lingered in the kitchen for days after we accidentally melted a spatula on the stove"; "many town residents raised an unholy stink about the proposal to increase taxes yet again"; "the dog stinks because she tangled with a skunk again".

Is "Stink" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Stink" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Stink"?

"Stink" is pronounced /ˈstiŋk/.

What is the origin of the word "Stink"?

"Stink" comes from Middle English, from Old English stincan; akin to Old High German stinkan to emit a smell. First known use: before 12th century.