How to Use reek in a Sentence

reek

1 of 2 noun
Definition of reeknext
Synonyms for reeknext
  • The mud, or maybe the drying agent, gave off a reek of sewage.
    — Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 14 June 2019
  • The Pros and Cons of Horses The horse fairly reeks of glamor.
    — David E. Petzal, Field & Stream, 23 Aug. 2023
  • So much about this place could be seen as out of step — the sawdust, the reek, the cash-only stance.
    — New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
  • In June, the wharf was stacked high with lobster traps tinging the breeze with the faint reek of their latest catch.
    — Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022
  • You could be covered in red sauce and reek of garlic and Bae would still love you.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, 7 Dec. 2015
  • Still, the stunts—then as now—reek of exploitation, and the victims are those least equipped to resist.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 16 Sep. 2022
  • The viny scent of wine, cut with the stringent reek of strong alcohol, enveloped us.
    — John Seabrook, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2017
  • Except for the reek of the Cordova cannery, which wraps the entire town in seal's breath, there is not a stinker in the bunch.
    — Michael Engelhard, Alaska Dispatch News, 1 July 2017
  • As the police wrenched open the door, the first thing that struck Mr. K was the smell: an intense chemical reek, mingled with the stench of death.
    — National Geographic, 5 Aug. 2016
  • Now, from my perspective, that reeks of a backroom deal.
    — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2023
  • The air reeks of urine and feces, and in a bowl on the ground, maggots writhe amid rotting flesh a vet has cut from one of the animal’s wounds.
    — Mirren Gidda, Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2017
  • Zufferey said the ground trembles during the mudslide and the air reeks of mud and sulfur which lingers for days.
    — Angela Fritz, Washington Post, 5 June 2017
  • Walking through a string of villages in Bihar, the state that was worst hit this past month, the reek of fermenting grain cuts through the moist air.
    — Suhasini Raj and Jeffrey Gettleman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2017
  • Giant holes have been punched in the walls, the wide corridors reek of urine, many lights have burned out and water drips from the ceiling, pooling on the floor.
    — Jeffrey Gettleman and Hari Kumar, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2017
  • Incredibly flaccid and safe, Mayday Parade's pop punk reeks of the mid-aughts in the worst way.
    — Luca Cimarusti, Chicago Reader, 12 Sep. 2017
  • The junipers' oily aroma overwhelmed even our own piquant reek.
    — John Phillips, Car and Driver, 24 Mar. 2020
  • Known for being a bit of a jokester, the singer's 40-second preview reeks of haphazard satire and cringe-worthy cheesiness.
    — Abby Jones, Billboard, 24 May 2018
  • Around him bundled bodies grumble and gasp like snoozing cattle; the air inside the tent feels iron cold against his cheeks and nose, and has a stewed and crotch-like reek to it.
    — Colm Toibin, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2016
  • Elon Musk has pulled some lousy marketing stunts in his time, but this one reeks of desperation.
    — Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2023
  • Trump and Giuliani say the incident reeks of corruption.
    — Ron Kampeas, sun-sentinel.com, 24 Sep. 2019
  • Payton doesn’t shy away from suggesting that the NFL’s gambling policy reeks of hypocrisy.
    — Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
  • By that time, Shannon said, the house is all but ruined by the humidity, which breeds mold, and the reek of marijuana, which seeps into the drywall.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2020
  • Mortal Kombat 11's story mode is polished and reeks of high-budget CGI and is compelling even with some cheesy voice acting.
    — Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2019
  • According to local reports, buildings there are blanketed in ash and the air reeks of sulfur.
    — National Geographic, 21 May 2016
  • Today, the bats have been cleared out, but the temple still has a powerful ammonia reek—the new residents being feral cats.
    — Stefen Chow, Smithsonian, 30 Sep. 2017
  • Your pillow never squirms or snores or reeks of marijuana.
    — Diana Spechler, Longreads, 28 Oct. 2017
  • Emmert’s threat to excise the entire left coast reeks of pure desperation and is in no way realistic.
    — Sally Jenkins, courant.com, 25 June 2019
  • Chateaus, villas and trophy cult wines that reek of privilege, entitlement and wealth.
    — Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2022
  • Mill Pond, connected to Crow River, reeks because of oxygen depletion over the long winter.
    — Katie Barsotti, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023
  • The quality of play is suspect, the officiating and constant replays reek, and these knuckleheads are planning to go ahead with third- and fourth-rate bowl games.
    — Star Tribune, 7 Nov. 2020
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reek

2 of 2 verb
  • The dog also reeked of the waste that had stuck to his fur, Ross said.
    — Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2023
  • The house reeked of spoiled meat that went bad while the power was off.
    — Jason Dearen and Jay Reeves, chicagotribune.com, 2 Sep. 2017
  • For much of the last five months, Boulder Creek has reeked of rain.
    — Sukee Bennett, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2017
  • What soars and reeks and fits like a coffin turned on its end?
    — Elliott Hester, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
  • In the summer of 1858, the Thames was a reeking open sewer.
    — Laurie Penny, Longreads, 15 Feb. 2018
  • For days after, my hair and my clothes reeked of peat bog.
    — Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023
  • And yet in the face of a box score that usually reeks of a loss, the Wizards won.
    — Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 13 May 2017
  • My little brother used to wear it and the whole house would reek of it for days.
    — Zoë Weiner, Teen Vogue, 13 Apr. 2018
  • Even as Lily’s mouth begins to reek, Finn cannot kiss her enough.
    — Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 12 June 2023
  • The children, ages 13 to 16, were kept in a single room that reeked of human waste.
    — Keri Blakinger, Houston Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2018
  • This whole process around the Ukraine is—reeks with politics.
    — CBS News, 15 Dec. 2019
  • My hair, my backpack, my clothes—all of it reeks of smoke and pork shoulder.
    — Mitch Goldich, SI.com, 25 Feb. 2018
  • Some say they have been forced to drink water that reeks of chlorine.
    — USA Today, 20 Dec. 2019
  • Hundreds of men were packed in a reeking garage at the station in McAllen, Tex.
    — Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 13 July 2019
  • All of this reeks a bit of Queen Gertrude: Hollywood doth protest too much.
    — Ben Shapiro, National Review, 17 Oct. 2017
  • In addition to the area’s stifling heat, the pools reek of rotten eggs.
    — Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2021
  • Overall, this process reeks of cronyism from the early days of rail.
    — Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 5 June 2019
  • Though, uh, hey: At least no one in Riverdale will have to deal with a character who reeks of soup.
    — Kaitlin Reilly, refinery29.com, 5 Mar. 2020
  • One got an envelope of clippings — good ones — but the whole thing reeked of cat piss.
    — Susan Fekete, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2018
  • Far too often, the Aztecs of old reeked of weakness while facing the basket.
    — Bryce Miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, 14 Mar. 2018
  • While his sister's home held up, the area reeked of gas because a propane unit was damaged.
    — CBS News, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Once there, the lawsuit claims the guys reeked of weed and alcohol, the site reported.
    — Mark Price, charlotteobserver, 6 Apr. 2018
  • The room also reeked of smoke and the walls had burnt marks, the Boston Herald reported.
    — Katherine Lam, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2018
  • The whole thing reeked of a man trying to protect his privilege.
    — Gianluca Russo, Teen Vogue, 16 Nov. 2018
  • And a pair of University of Oregon gym shorts that still reeked of sweat.
    — Bill Oram, oregonlive, 13 July 2023
  • To play morality police after the fact reeks of the Cubs wanting to have their cake and eat it, too.
    — Jon Tayler, SI.com, 15 Jan. 2018
  • But above all else, The Hill’s opinion section just reeks of the same laziness Solomon displays.
    — Libby Watson, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
  • Two bolted-down single beds lined a wall; our small bathroom reeked of sewage and diesel.
    — New York Times, 3 Apr. 2020
  • Whether Tesla will budge is still up in the air — air that will start reeking of piled garbage starting on December 24th when the strike begins.
    — Umar Shakir, The Verge, 13 Dec. 2023
  • Sometimes, he was approached by neighbors out on parole for various crimes, who reeked of alcohol.
    — Emily Davies, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reek.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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