verb

stank

STANGK

Stank (verb) means past tense of stink; smelled bad. Example: “The locker room stank of sweat after the game.”

verb

Past tense of stink; smelled bad.

"The locker room stank of sweat after the game."

"His old trainers stank so badly nobody would sit near him."

noun

A pool of water held back by a small dam or bank, or the bank itself.

"Farmers built a stank across the ditch to trap rainwater for the cattle."

Slang for a distinctive, gritty groove or feel in music, especially jazz or funk, created by dissonant chords and a strong rhythmic pocket.

"The bassline had so much stank the whole room started moving."

How to use stank

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMostly used today as the old-fashioned past tense of "stink" (it stank), or as slang for a deep, funky groove in music.

Common mistake

Standard modern English uses "stank" or "stunk" as the past tense of stink ("it stank" is fine; "it has stunk" is the past participle) — don't use "stanked."

Common pairings

it stank of stank up the room that bassline has stank

Word forms

more stank comparative, stanked past tense, stanked past tense, stanked past tense, stanked past tense, stanked past tense, stanks plural, stanks plural, stanks singular, stanks singular, stanks singular, stanks singular, stanks singular, most stank superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The locker room _____ of sweat after the game.

Etymology

A dialect respelling of "stink," from a regional pronunciation pattern where "i" shifts toward "a." The music sense is a modern slang extension — a groove so raw it practically has a smell.

Rhymes for stank

bank dank tank wank rank Hank drank plank thank frank prank swank

See all rhymes for stank →

Frequently asked questions

What does “stank” mean?

The word “stank” means past tense of stink; smelled bad. In plain terms, mostly used today as the old-fashioned past tense of "stink" (it stank), or as slang for a deep, funky groove in music.

How do you pronounce “stank”?

“Stank” is pronounced STANGK (/ˈsteɪ̯ŋk/ in IPA).

How do you use “stank” in a sentence?

Here is “stank” used in a sentence: “The locker room stank of sweat after the game.”

What part of speech is “stank”?

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

How many meanings does “stank” have?

“Stank” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: past tense of stink; smelled bad.