- a variation of smoky.
smokey
1 Americannoun
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smokeys
plural
-
an officer or officers of a state highway patrol.
-
a state police car.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of smokey
An Americanism dating back to 1970–75; shortened from Smokey Bear, a cartoon bear used in the U. S. Forest Service's fire prevention campaign, depicted wearing a hat similar to those worn by state police officers
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.
See Examples For:
Over a simple acoustic backing, he reminisces about "smokey bars and cheap guitars", observing that while Liverpool is always changing, "nothing can erase the days we left behind".
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
This hot, mineral-rich, and often smokey water seeks the most pervious path through the Earth's crust and encounters cold, oxygen-rich water at the sea floor.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 15, 2024
The southern Mexican state is known for famously hand-dyed woven rugs, pristine Pacific tourist beaches, a smokey alcohol called Mezcal and sophisticated cuisine including moles — thick sauces crafted from more than two dozen ingredients.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 12, 2022
Unfortunately, it’s a smokey taupe tapestry more often than not these days, perhaps a casualty of the state’s historic drought.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2022
Now, with Mrs. Frisby’s help, he forced open Brutus’s mouth and poured in just a few drops of the smokey liquid the bottle contained.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
Still, like the Romans' feathered friends, the smokeys can help assure a restful night.
From Time Magazine Archive
Park Service "smokeys" tend to be crowd-control specialists, while mountaineers tend to be sentimental anarchists, so the latter may view Farabee's remarks with high suspicion.
From Time Magazine Archive
The sky outside seemed even smokier than before.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2025
The air got smokier as we flew over the ice fields.
From Slate ● Aug. 9, 2024
But for some local firefighters, it’s been even hotter and smokier.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 12, 2023
But its profile leans sweeter, smokier and more savory — thanks to a couple forms of pepper, sharp white onion and a certain '90s throwback ingredient that may surprise some.
From Salon ● Feb. 22, 2023
It had grown darker and smokier while they’d waited out the storm.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Aged Cheddar is that cheese, sharp enough to stand up to the smokiest of smoked meats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
More firefighting resources were not necessarily deployed to the smokiest fires, either.
From New York Times ● Jun. 28, 2023
“Today it’s actually the smokiest that we’ve seen,” Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson, said Sunday.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 10, 2022
For the smokiest, most charred flavor, grill thick planks of eggplant and then combine them with garlic, scallions, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil.
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2022
Down went the highest pair of heels, up rose the smokiest gentleman, and, carefully cherishing his cigar between his fingers, he advanced, with a nod, and a countenance expressive of nothing but sleep.
From Little Women or Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Louisa May Alcott
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
