stinker
Americannoun
-
a person or thing that stinks.
-
Informal. a mean or despicable person; louse.
-
Informal. something, especially some form of entertainment, of inferior quality.
-
Informal. something difficult.
a real stinker of a crossword puzzle.
-
any device emitting an offensive odor, as a stink bomb or stinkpot.
-
Dialect. any of several large petrels.
noun
-
a person or thing that stinks
-
slang a difficult or very unpleasant person or thing
-
slang something of very poor quality
-
informal any of several fulmars or related birds that feed on carrion
Etymology
Origin of stinker
1600–10; 1920–25 stinker for def. 2; stink + -er 1
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.
When was the last time you had a conversation with someone about Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz’s 2010 stinker, “Knight and Day”?
From Salon • Jan. 6, 2026
Yamamoto had his second-worst stinker as a Dodger, surpassed by only his fumble of the division series opener last season against the Padres.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025
“I wouldn’t spend two more seconds thinking about what happened in that game,” Harbaugh said of Herbert’s four-interception stinker in a loss to the Houston Texas.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2025
You wouldn't blame me if it's a stinker, would you?
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2024
Some at the table laughed, and the alleged stinker looked up at me.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
