skunky

Examples

• All

• We quickly noticed the skunky smell of the old cheese in the refrigerator.

• Essentially because it was hot, sweaty and skunky in this room.

  Two Hot Takes

• The air was cool, thick with the skunky scent of the vegetation.

  Fiction book (2001)

• Bitter, skunky, kinda like imported Keystone.

  Blog text (30)

• Skunky, skunky, skunky.

  The Wild Robot (2024)

• Before long, the air was skunky with the intimate aroma of winter feet, feet that had been sealed in leather and thick wool socks all day long.

  Fiction book (1996)

• And we started smelling this funny odor, this real foul smelling odor like this skunky kind of smell.

  The Bray Road Beast (2018)

• They end up smelling a little, well, skunky—and get to bathe in an outdoor wash tub.

  Blog text (8)

• The beer turned skunky after being left out in the sun for too long.

• As we walked through the garden, the skunky scent of rotting plants filled the air.

Synonyms

S

smelly

vsskunky

118 1.0

Giving off a strong, unpleasant stink

is used for a specific animallike smell rather than any bad odor

S

stinky

vsskunky

60 1.0

Having a very bad smell

is more specifically about that animallike smell rather than general badness

Y

yucky

vsskunky

• Informal

22 6.8

Not pleasant to taste or smell

is less childish and is a neutral description of the same strong smell

P

pungent

vsskunky

18 4.8

Having a strong, sharp smell or taste that can be unpleasant

is unpleasant without the stimulating or sharp effect that this often has

F

funky

vsskunky

• Informal

18 6.9

Has a bad smell

is more likely used for a specific animal odor rather than general unpleasantness

F

fetid

vsskunky

8 7.9

A very strong, bad smell like rotten food or trash

is similar but can also describe taste, not only strong odor

A

acrid

vsskunky

8 6.7

A strong, unpleasant sharp taste or smell

is less about sharp bitter quality and more about a strong animal odor

S

stinking

vsskunky

• Informal

7 5.3

Very bad or unpleasant

refers specifically to a strong smell or taste rather than general badness

F

foul-smelling

vsskunky

7 4.1

A very strong stink that makes you want to move away

is used for both smell and taste, not only general bad odors

O

odiferous

vsskunky

1 8.5

Having a strong smell that is often unpleasant

is compared to one specific animal scent rather than any strong odor

U

unsavory

vsskunky

• US

1 6.5

Something that smells or tastes bad

is stronger and more vividly unpleasant, not merely mildly off

U

unpleasant-smelling

vsskunky

1 3.8

Having a bad smell that people do not like

is used for a particular animal related strong smell rather than general bad odor

I

ill-smelling

vsskunky

1 4.4

That has a strong, unpleasant odor

is focused on a single strong animal scent rather than general unpleasant scent

R

rank

vsskunky

6.7

Having a very strong unpleasant smell or taste

is strong but not usually described as extremely overpowering

I

ill-scented

vsskunky

6.3

Having a strong, unpleasant smell

is more narrowly used for a particular animallike scent than general smell

R

reechy

vsskunky

• Archaic

9.9

Having a strong bad smell that makes you move away

is similar but evokes a specific animal smell instead of general foul odor

N

niffy

vsskunky

• UK

9.9

Smelling strongly of something unpleasant

is more narrowly compared to a single animal scent rather than general unpleasant smell

V

vomity

vsskunky

9.3

Having a bad smell, taste, or look that makes you want to throw up

is strong and unpleasant but not necessarily so nauseating as that reaction

Antonyms

P

pleasant

314 1.0

Giving a gentle feeling of enjoyment

F

fragrant

34 2.2

Having a pleasant smell like flowers or soap

Compounds

S

skunky cheese

7.7

A cheese with a very strong, unpleasant smell like a skunk

How Smelly

fetid

8 7.9

skunky

1 7.6

smelly

118 1.0

scented

13 2.3

odorless

• US

11 3.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology