reek

[ reek ]

/ rik /

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See synonyms for: reek / reeking on Thesaurus.com

noun

a strong, unpleasant smell.

vapor or steam.

verb (used without object)

to smell strongly and unpleasantly.

to be strongly pervaded with something unpleasant or offensive.

to give off steam, smoke, etc.

to be wet with sweat, blood, etc.

verb (used with object)

to give off; emit; exude.

to expose to or treat with smoke.

OTHER WORDS FOR reek

5 steam, smoke, fume.

See synonyms for reek on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

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Origin of reek

before 900; (noun) Middle English rek(e), Old English rēc smoke; cognate with German rauch,Dutch rook,Old Norse reykr; (v.) Middle English reken to smoke, steam, Old English rēocan

OTHER WORDS FROM reek

reeker, nounreek·ing·ly, adverbreeky, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use reek in a sentence

Nolte's Breitbart report on Dunham's "Barry" reeks of obliviousness.
The Right's Rape Trolls vs. Lena Dunham|Emily Shire|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This entire ordeal reeks of bureaucratic overreach being bandied about in the name of “let-us-save-the-children” politics.
The University Of New Orleans’ Cigarette Ban Is Total BS|Chloé Valdary|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, the Sooner State has lately taken pride in pushing back against anything that reeks of progressive-ness.
Solar Power Burns Old Utilities’ Business Models|Daniel Gross|April 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is the kind of weak language that reeks of State Department memo writing and should never be uttered in public.
President Obama’s Belgian Waffle|Stuart Stevens|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It reeks of desperation and signals an inability to come to grips with modernity.
The GOP’s Racial Handicap|Lloyd Green|October 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The blue reeks of smoke from the cottages gave the whole widespread landscape an air of settled order and homely comfort.
The Poison Belt|Arthur Conan Doyle
It reeks of absinthe, this desert tavern, in which we warm ourselves at a little smoking fire.
Egypt (La Mort De Philae)|Pierre Loti
The altar reeks of it, and we never know when our dearest and best will be summoned.
Roger the Bold|F. S. Brereton
"A singular room," he observed to Reeks, on concluding his survey.
Auriol|W. Harrison Ainsworth
Wot's that you say about subterranean apartments, Mr. Reeks?
Auriol|W. Harrison Ainsworth

British Dictionary definitions for reek

reek

/ (riːk) /

verb

(intr) to give off or emit a strong unpleasant odour; smell or stink

(intr often foll by of) to be permeated (by); be redolent (of)the letter reeks of subservience

(tr) to treat with smoke; fumigate

(tr) mainly dialect to give off or emit (smoke, fumes, vapour, etc)

noun

a strong offensive smell; stink

mainly dialect smoke or steam; vapour

Derived forms of reek

reeking, adjectivereekingly, adverbreeky, adjective

Word Origin for reek

Old English rēocan; related to Old Frisian riāka to smoke, Old High German rouhhan, Old Norse rjūka to smoke, steam

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

reek

OTHER WORDS FOR reek

Origin of reek

OTHER WORDS FROM reek

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How to use reek in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reek

Derived forms of reek

Word Origin for reek