scented

scented — adjective

1. describing a product such as a candle, soap, or lotion that has had a pleasant-s

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describing a product such as a candle, soap, or lotion that has had a pleasant-smelling substance added to it, giving it a noticeable sweet or floral smell when used.

Example

Christopher chose a scented candle that filled his living room with the smell of cinnamon.

collocation: scented candle

The hotel placed scented soaps and shampoos in every bathroom for guests to enjoy.

Common collocations
  • scented candle
  • scented soap
  • scented oil
  • scented lotion
  • scented tissue
Synonyms
  • fragrant

    broader term — can describe both natural and artificial pleasant smells

  • perfumed

    stronger and more formal — suggests a deliberate, noticeable fragrance

  • aromatic

    describes a strong, distinctive smell, often spicy or herbal

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

scented + noun

be + scented

Usage Note

Commonly used for manufactured items such as candles, soaps, tissues, and cleaning products that have had fragrance added. The opposite is unscented (no fragrance added).

Common Mistakes

She lit a scent candle.
She lit a scented candle.
The adjective form is scented, not scent. Scent is a noun or verb.

2. (of a flower or plant) producing a sweet, pleasant smell naturally, without any

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

(of a flower or plant) producing a sweet, pleasant smell naturally, without any artificial substance added.

Example

The scented roses in Vikram's garden attracted butterflies all summer long.

collocation: scented roses

Tuan planted jasmine near his window because the scented flowers helped him sleep.

Common collocations
  • scented rose
  • scented flower
  • scented blossom
  • scented garden
  • scented plant
Synonyms
  • fragrant

    more common for describing natural flower smells

  • sweet-smelling

    simpler and more informal

  • aromatic

    suggests a stronger, more distinctive natural scent, often herbal

Antonyms
  • unscented

    lacking any smell, though less common for describing flowers

Grammar Patterns

scented + flower/plant noun

be + scented

Usage Note

Only describes flowers and plants with a naturally sweet smell. For artificial fragrances added to products, use sense 1 (WITH ADDED FRAGRANCE).

Common Mistakes

The perfume was very scented.
The perfume was very fragrant.
Perfume is already a fragrance, so scented sounds redundant. Use scented for products that naturally lack smell but have had one added.

Word family

  • scent
    nounB1
  • scent
    verbB2
  • unscented
    adjectiveB1
  • scentless
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Fragrant is the most general word — it describes anything with a pleasant smell, whether natural (fragrant flowers) or artificial (fragrant soap). Perfumed is more specific and formal: it suggests a deliberately strong, sweet fragrance, often designed to imitate flowers or luxury goods. Aromatic applies to smells that are distinctive and often spicy, herbal, or woody — think of aromatic herbs, coffee, or incense. Scented (this sense) focuses on the fact that a pleasant-smelling substance has been added to something that otherwise would have little or no smell. A scented candle smells of vanilla because vanilla oil was put into the wax; a fragrant candle could also describe that same candle, but scented emphasises the addition of fragrance. In everyday use, a rose is fragrant, not scented; a soap labeled as scented tells you it has been made to smell nice on purpose.

fragrantperfumedaromaticscented ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • strongly scented
  • lightly scented
  • sweetly scented
  • delicately scented
  • faintly scented

Prepositions

  • scented with

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Scented comes from the noun scent, which entered English in the 1300s through Old French sentir (to feel or smell), from Latin sentire (to feel, perceive). The -ed ending turns the noun into an adjective meaning 'having scent'. Originally used for the natural smell of animals and plants, scented later expanded to describe products with added fragrance.