the stench of rotting meat
we finally discovered the dead rat that was causing the stench in the basement
Recent Examples on the WebBiden and his team recognized the error instantly and wrongly bet that his intentions mattered more than the offense, that his reputation would overpower any stench of sloppiness.—Philip Elliott, TIME, 24 June 2024 Municipal workers in Mexico needed to spread quicklime over the dead fish that once swam in the Bustillos Lagoon to reduce the stench.—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 10 June 2024 So Trump had the dump and stench removed and replaced with a beautiful and scenic golf course.—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 22 May 2024 Clacton-on-Sea, England CNN — At the end of Clacton Pier, where the salty North Sea breeze tangles with the sickly stench of the nearby amusement hall, a row of amateur fishermen gaze way off past the horizon, towards Europe.—Rob Picheta, CNN, 16 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for stench
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stench.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English stenc; akin to Old English stincan to emit a smell — more at stink
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of stench was
before the 12th century
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