smell
verb (used with object)
to perceive the odor or scent of through the nose by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odor of.
smelled
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past participleof smell.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof smell.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
smellverb (used with object)to perceive the odor or scent of through the nose by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odor of.
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.
The place supposedly smelled of cheddar for weeks afterward.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
The haze can be smelled even indoors in the city of about 700,000 people.
From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026
"The lab smelled like a fish market," she says.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
“It smelled like a zoo here for three days,” Peter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
It had been dried, with her coat, in front of a salamandric flame, but it still smelled of its many and various adventures.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
