stench
Americannoun
-
an offensive smell or odor; stink.
-
a foul quality.
noun
Related Words
See odor.
Other Word Forms
- stenchful adjective
Etymology
Origin of stench
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English stenc “odor (good or bad)”; akin to stink
Explanation
When you pass a dump, you might hold your nose and say, "Oh, I can't handle the stench." A stench is a bad smell. Stench can also be used metaphorically. If it is discovered that many members of a police force have been taking money from mob bosses so that they can continue their life of crime, a new chief may be brought in to remove the stench of corruption from the office. In either sense, stench is the kind of smell that takes work to get rid of.
Vocabulary lists containing stench
The Nose Knows: Olfactory Vocabulary
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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Inside Out & Back Again
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!
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.
Unfortunately, it’s the stench we have to worry about.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Nicha Rowson, a beautician who has been forced to move her studio out of her home because of the stench, said the decision to clear up the site was "amazing news".
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
Residents described headaches and an unrelenting bitter taste in their mouths as the stench of smoke filled their homes.
From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026
Residents began to complain of an “unbearable” stench that they said caused headaches, nausea, and eye, ear and nose irritation.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026
We charged them, thrusting hands, arms, legs, even heads, under the streams of water, washing away the stench of the boxcars.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
