adj

stinking

STIHNG-kihng

Stinking (adj) means having a strong, unpleasant smell. Example: “The stinking pile of garbage attracted flies all afternoon.”

adj

Having a strong, unpleasant smell.

"The stinking pile of garbage attracted flies all afternoon."

Used to intensify a negative description (informal).

"He was in a stinking mood all day."

How to use stinking

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFoul-smelling, or (informally) used to emphasize how bad something is.

When to use it

The intensifier sense ("stinking rich", "stinking mood") is informal.

Common pairings

stinking rich stinking mood

Word forms

more stinking comparative, stinkings plural, most stinking superlative

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The _____ pile of garbage attracted flies all afternoon.

Etymology

From Middle English stynkynge, stinkinge, stinkinde, stinkende, stynkande, stynkand, from Old English stincende, from Proto-Germanic *stinkwandz (“stinking”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *stinkwaną (“to stink”), equivalent to stink + -ing. Cognate with Dutch stinkend (“stinking, stinky”), German stinkend (“stinking, stinky”), Danish stinkende (“stinking, stinky”), Norwegian stinkende (“stinking, stinky”).

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for stinking

linking winking thinking blinking drinking clinking shrinking rethinking overthinking

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Frequently asked questions

What does “stinking” mean?

The word “stinking” means having a strong, unpleasant smell. In plain terms, foul-smelling, or (informally) used to emphasize how bad something is.

How do you pronounce “stinking”?

“Stinking” is pronounced STIHNG-kihng (/ˈstɪŋkɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “stinking” in a sentence?

Here is “stinking” used in a sentence: “The stinking pile of garbage attracted flies all afternoon.”

What part of speech is “stinking”?

“Stinking” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “stinking” have?

“Stinking” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a strong, unpleasant smell.