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🤢 To smell bad ⚠️ To suggest something bad 🦨 A bad smell 💨 To give off vapor 💦 To be soaked
to reek

to reek

27 6.7
Strongly suggest that something is dishonest
  • verb
  • /rik/
: dar la impresión de
  • It's similar to the ineffective Iraq War protests that reeked of such disingenuousness.

Because his desperation, I mean it reeks off of him right now.

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Examples

  • The abandoned house reeks of decay and neglect.

  • I mean, this just reeks of toxic employer.

    H3 Podcast

  • This whole place reeks of morbidity.

    All Star Superman (2011)

  • But you said this prosecution reeks of desperation and bad faith.

  • The response has to reek of competence, integrity and sincerity.

  • The problem with each of these solutions is that they're legally questionable and reek of desperation.

    Patrick Boyle

  • Sorry, I don't buy it; this reeks of bogus Cadillac welfare queen stories.

    Blog text (20)

  • To suggest that the minority should just put up with it reeks of false entitlement and intolerance.

    Blog text (10)

  • His comments reek of insincerity and manipulation.

  • This report reeks of bias and misinformation.

Synonyms

to stink
vsto reek
  • Informal
253 5.3

To be very bad or of poor quality

only suggests something is filled with an unpleasant quality rather than outright judging it
to smell
vsto reek
  • Informal
115 6.8

To seem suspicious or dishonest

signals a strong evident negative quality rather than a mild intuitive suspicion
to reek of
vsto reek
54 6.3

Have a very strong unpleasant smell or seem full of a bad quality

is used mainly for situations to suggest negative quality rather than literal smell
to smack
vsto reek
24 8.1

To seem to have a strong bad quality such as unfairness

focuses on suggesting negative fullness in situations and behavior rather than taste

Phrasal Verbs

to reek of
54 6.3

Have a very strong unpleasant smell or seem full of a bad quality

How Indicative

to reek of
54 6.3
to reek
27 6.7
to suggest
∞ 2.1

Surface Forms

reek infinitive
reeked past
reeked past participle
reeking present participle
reeks third person singular

Etymology

Reek started with the old word reyk for 'smoke', and people use the idea of a strong smell as a clear picture. So if something 'reeks of' dishonesty or corruption, it strongly shows or suggests that problem.