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Synonyms

stinking

American  
[sting-king] / ˈstɪŋ kɪŋ /

adjective

  1. that smells foul; foul-smelling.

    Synonyms:
    rank, miasmal, foul, putrescent, rotten, putrid, smelly
  2. Slang. very drunk; plastered.

  3. Slang. very rich.

    His father left him so much money he's stinking.

  4. contemptible; disgusting.

    a stinking shame.


adverb

  1. completely or extremely.

    stinking drunk.

stinking British  
/ ˈstɪŋkɪŋ /

adjective

  1. having a foul smell

  2. informal unpleasant or disgusting

  3. slang (postpositive) very drunk

"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

adverb

  1. informal (intensifier, expressing contempt for the person referred to)

    stinking rich

"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

Other Word Forms

  • stinkingly adverb
  • stinkingness noun

Etymology

Origin of stinking

before 1000; Middle English stinkinge, Old English stincende. See stink, -ing 2

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.

A poisonous river of a stinking yellow liquid rushed downhill, inundating homes and fields, including the one where she grew corn to feed her eight children.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

It was horrifying for his friend to see him enveloped by stinking, rotting waste.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2025

The first obstacle was that I didn't know she would be so stinking cute, with a perfect little smile that made me want to spoil her rotten.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2024

Columnists Mark Z. Barabak and Anita Chabria took it all in before dashing to catch their flights home to California, that place haters depict as a stinking hellhole.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2024

“But when you have money, it doesn't matter if you smell. They'll just call us stinking rich.”

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty