noun

reek

Reek (noun) means a strong, unpleasant smell. Example: “The reek of stale beer hung over the pub the next morning.”

noun

A strong, unpleasant smell.

"The reek of stale beer hung over the pub the next morning."

verb

To give off a strong, unpleasant odor.

"His clothes reeked of cigarette smoke."

To be strongly suggestive of something bad or suspicious.

"The whole deal reeked of corruption."

How to use reek

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo smell strongly and unpleasantly, or figuratively, to seem clearly tainted by something bad.

Common pairings

reek of smoke reek of corruption a foul reek

Word forms

reeked past tense, reeks plural, reeks plural, reeks plural, reeks singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “reek” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ of stale beer hung over the pub the next morning.

Etymology

From Old English rec, \"smoke,\" related to German Rauch.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

View more →

funk honk niff hum pong smell stink stink to high heaven whiff

Antonyms

defunkify destinkify deodorize

Related words

feeling sick sing smell tone hmm buzz drone

Rhymes for reek

eek week seek meek leek geek peek Zeek Greek cheek creek sleek

See all rhymes for reek →

Frequently asked questions

What does “reek” mean?

The word “reek” means a strong, unpleasant smell. In plain terms, to smell strongly and unpleasantly, or figuratively, to seem clearly tainted by something bad.

How do you pronounce “reek”?

“Reek” is pronounced reek (/riːk/ in IPA).

How do you use “reek” in a sentence?

Here is “reek” used in a sentence: “The reek of stale beer hung over the pub the next morning.”

What is another word for “reek”?

Words with a similar meaning to “reek” include funk, honk, niff, hum, pong and smell.

What is the opposite of “reek”?

The opposite of “reek” — its antonyms — are defunkify, destinkify and deodorize.

What part of speech is “reek”?

Depending on how it is used, “reek” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “reek” come from?

The word “reek” comes from Old English. From Old English rec, \"smoke,\" related to German Rauch.

How many meanings does “reek” have?

“Reek” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a strong, unpleasant smell.

People also searched

feeling sick sing smell tone hmm buzz drone