English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

adj

stinking

STIHNG-kihng

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

adj

1

Having a strong, unpleasant smell.

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

2

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

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: stinkings
Comparative: more stinking
Superlative: most stinking

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The _____ pile of garbage attracted flies all afternoon.

Etymology

Comes from Middle English stynkynge, stinkinge, stinkinde, stinkende, stynkande, stynkand, which developed from Old English stincende, from Proto-Germanic *stinkwandz ("stinking"), the present participle of Proto-Germanic *stinkwaną ("to stink"); equivalent to stink plus -ing. It is cognate with Dutch stinkend ("stinking, stinky"), German stinkend ("stinking, stinky"), Danish stinkende ("stinking, stinky") and Norwegian stinkende ("stinking, stinky").

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

stinky smelly shitty foetid lousy icky funky fetid noisome foul rotten crappy

Antonyms

sweet

Related words

bad nice fair sweet ill dirty gross awful

Rhymes for stinking

linking winking thinking blinking drinking clinking shrinking rethinking overthinking

See all rhymes for stinking →

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.

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