adjective
smelly
SMEH-lee
adjective
1
Having a strong, unpleasant odor.
"His gym bag was smelly after a week of unwashed clothes."
"The smelly cheese was actually delicious."
2
(informal) Suspicious or questionable.
"The deal sounded smelly from the start."
How to Use Smelly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving a bad odor — or, informally, suspicious.
Common pairings
smelly feet
smelly socks
smelly cheese
Word Forms
smellier comparative, smellies plural, smellies plural, smelliest superlative
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His gym bag was _____ after a week of unwashed clothes.
Etymology
From smell plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.