smell
smell — verb
1. to release a particular odour into the air that another person picks up by breat
to release a particular odour into the air that another person picks up by breathing in through the nose — such as hot bread fresh from the oven, or socks after a long run.
The kitchen smelled of fresh bread and warm cinnamon.
smell + of [ingredient/scent]
After the storm, the whole house smelled damp and musty.
Élise's new perfume smells like jasmine and vanilla.
smell + like [fragrance]
This milk smells strange — I think it has gone bad.
The old books in the library smelled of paper and dust.
- smell good
- smell bad
- smell sweet
- smell funny
- smell of smoke
- smell like roses
- smell fresh
Grammar Patterns
smell + adjective
smell + of + noun
smell + like + noun
smell + [adverb]
Usage Note
Stative verb; takes an adjective complement, not an adverb. 'The soup smells good' ✓, not 'The soup smells well' ✗. Often followed by 'of' (smells of smoke) or 'like' (smells like bananas).
Common Mistakes
2. to notice a particular smell by using your nose — for example, smelling smoke be
to notice a particular smell by using your nose — for example, smelling smoke before you see the fire, or smelling flowers as you walk past them.
Kofi smelled smoke as soon as he opened the apartment door.
smell + gas/smoke/food (detectable thing)
Can you smell something burning in the kitchen?
Talia bent down to smell the roses in the garden.
The dog smelled the food from two rooms away.
- smell smoke
- smell food
- smell gas
- smell perfume
- can smell
- smell something burning
Grammar Patterns
smell + noun phrase
can/could + smell + noun phrase
Usage Note
Transitive; takes a direct object. Frequently used with 'can' to emphasise the act of noticing in the moment: 'Can you smell garlic?' Progressive form is uncommon for this sense (not 'I am smelling smoke').
Common Mistakes
3. to know or suspect that something is happening or is about to happen, without be
to know or suspect that something is happening or is about to happen, without being directly told — for example, smelling danger in a quiet street, or smelling a lie in someone's excuse.
The detective smelled trouble when the witness changed his story.
smell + [figurative: trouble/danger/opportunity]
Hoa could smell that something was wrong the moment she walked into the meeting.
smell + that-clause (figurative)
Investors smelled a good opportunity and offered to fund the startup.
Ramón smelled fear in the other team before the match even started.
- smell trouble
- smell danger
- smell opportunity
- smell a rat (idiom)
- smell something wrong
Grammar Patterns
smell + noun phrase (figurative)
smell + that-clause
can/could + smell + noun phrase
Usage Note
Figurative extension of the physical sense. Used both transitively (smell trouble) and with a that-clause (smelt that something was wrong). Rarely used in progressive forms. Common with 'can/could' to emphasise intuitive detection.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'She smelled that he was lying after checking his alibi.' (implying physical smell) — This figurative sense works even when no physical odor is present; just make sure context makes the figurative meaning clear.
4. to have the physical ability to use your nose to notice smells — different from
to have the physical ability to use your nose to notice smells — different from actually smelling something at a specific moment.
Some animals can smell water from several kilometres away.
can + smell + [object] (ability)
After the accident, Devika could not smell anything for three months.
Sharks can smell blood in the ocean from a great distance.
I have a cold today and I cannot smell a thing.
- can smell
- cannot smell
- able to smell
- sense of smell
Grammar Patterns
can/cannot + smell
can + smell + noun phrase (ability)
Usage Note
Used with 'can' or 'cannot' to describe olfactory capability, not a single act of smelling. 'Dogs can smell better than humans' describes general ability, not a specific moment. Not used in progressive form for this meaning.
Common Mistakes
smell out
phrasal verbTo discover or find something by using your sense of smell, or to detect something hidden.
The dog smelled out the hidden drugs in the suitcase.
Sara smelled out the secret meeting place by following the scent of coffee.
smell a rat
idiomto begin to suspect that something dishonest, wrong, or illegal is happening
When the seller asked for cash payment only, the buyer smelled a rat and walked away.
The accountant smelled a rat when the numbers did not match the receipts.
used to tell someone that they must face the reality of a situation, especially an unpleasant one
Haruto told his friend to wake up and smell the coffee — the company was going to close.
The voters need to wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late.
to escape a difficult or bad situation with your reputation still good
The politician was involved in the scandal but somehow came out smelling of roses.
Everyone expected her to lose the debate, but she came up smelling of roses.
To remain respected by others after being involved in a situation that could have damaged your reputation.
Despite the scandal, the mayor came out of the investigation smelling of roses.
How did Brian come up from that failed project smelling of roses?
The name of something does not change its true nature or value.
Maya argued that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, so the brand didn't matter.
Do you believe that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, or does the label matter?
smell — noun
1. the quality of something that you notice through your nose — whether pleasant, l
the quality of something that you notice through your nose — whether pleasant, like the smell of fresh flowers, or unpleasant, like the smell of old rubbish.
The smell of fresh coffee filled the entire office.
the smell of + [source noun]
There was a strange smell coming from the drain in the bathroom.
Christopher loved the smell of the sea every time he visited the coast.
The flowers in the garden gave off a sweet smell that attracted bees.
sweet/strong/faint smell (adjective + smell)
- strong smell
- sweet smell
- faint smell
- bad smell
- pleasant smell
- the smell of
- give off a smell
- scent
neutral to positive; often subtle or pleasant; also used for animal smells
- odor
neutral to negative in everyday English; more common in scientific/medical contexts
- fragrance
positive; used for sweet, pleasant smells like perfume or flowers
- aroma
positive; used for pleasant food or drink smells (coffee, wine, baked goods)
- stench
strongly negative; a very bad, offensive smell
Grammar Patterns
a + adjective + smell
the smell of + noun
there is/was a smell of
Usage Note
A neutral word covering both good and bad smells. For a distinctly good smell, use 'scent', 'fragrance', or 'aroma'. For a distinctly bad smell, use 'stench' or 'stink'. Can be both countable (a strange smell) and uncountable (the smell of smoke filled the room).
Common Mistakes
2. the general impression, feeling, or character that a place, situation, or period
the general impression, feeling, or character that a place, situation, or period of time gives you — as if you could sense it like a physical smell.
The old house had the smell of a place that had been empty for years.
the smell of + [abstract/scene] (figurative)
The smell of victory filled the air after the team won the championship.
A smell of corruption hung over the whole government agency.
Lian said the whole negotiation had the smell of a deal that was about to fall apart.
the smell of + [abstract situation] (figurative atmosphere)
- the smell of victory
- the smell of success
- the smell of danger
- the smell of fear
- the smell of corruption
- air
a more general word for the feeling of a place; 'an air of mystery'
- atmosphere
broader in meaning — covers all emotional qualities of a place
- aura
suggests a mysterious or spiritual quality surrounding someone or something
Grammar Patterns
the smell of + abstract noun
a/the smell of [characteristic quality]
Usage Note
Always figurative — does not refer to an actual physical smell. Common with abstract nouns: smell of success, smell of danger, smell of fear. Usually singular: 'a smell of something' or 'the smell of something'.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'The room had a smell of success.' (too literal) — Best to use 'smell' figuratively only when the context is clearly non-physical. 'The whole campaign had the smell of success about it' works better.
3. the physical ability of a living being to notice and recognise different smells
the physical ability of a living being to notice and recognise different smells using the nose.
Dogs have a much keener sense of smell than humans.
sense of smell + adjective (keen/good/acute)
Some people lose their sense of smell after a bad cold.
The wine expert had an incredible sense of smell that could detect the subtlest notes.
Certain jobs, like being a firefighter, require a good sense of smell.
- sense of smell
- keen sense of smell
- good sense of smell
- lose your sense of smell
Grammar Patterns
sense of smell
a + adjective + sense of smell
Usage Note
Uncountable — 'sense of smell' as a single faculty. Not 'a sense of smell' when referring to possession (Dogs have a good sense of smell ✓). Always paired with 'sense of': never just 'smell' alone for this meaning ('My smell is weak' ✗ → 'My sense of smell is weak' ✓).
Common Mistakes
4. a single action where you move your nose up to an object and draw air inward to
a single action where you move your nose up to an object and draw air inward to find out what odour it has.
Nikhil took one smell of the soup and knew it needed more salt.
take a smell of + noun
The doctor asked for a smell of the patient's breath to check for infection.
Carlos gave the milk carton a quick smell before pouring it into his coffee.
give + noun + a smell (informal)
One smell of the old book brought back memories of her grandfather's library.
- take a smell
- have a smell
- give something a smell
- one smell of
Grammar Patterns
take/have/give + a + smell
one + smell + of + noun
Usage Note
Used in expressions like 'take a smell', 'have a smell', 'give something a smell'. These are informal but not slang. The action is usually brief and deliberate. Overlaps with 'sniff', but 'sniff' implies a quicker, sharper intake of breath.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All six words name what you notice with your nose, but they differ sharply in tone. 'Smell' is the neutral, all-purpose word — you can use it for fresh bread or rotten eggs ('the smell of the sea', 'a strange smell from the drain'). 'Scent' is neutral to mildly positive and often subtle ('the scent of wildflowers'); it is also the word used for animal tracking ('the dog followed the scent'). 'Odor' is more clinical and often negative in everyday English ('body odor', 'a chemical odor') — it appears frequently in scientific or safety contexts. 'Fragrance' is deliberately positive and is the standard word for perfumes, soaps, and pleasant manufactured smells ('the fragrance of her shampoo'). 'Aroma' is also positive but specifically describes food and drink smells ('the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee'). 'Stench' is the strongest negative word, used for overwhelming rotten or decay smells ('the stench of rotting fish'). Choosing the right word transforms 'a bad smell' into something precise: 'a stale cigarette odor' vs 'the lingering aroma of roasted coffee'.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'smell' traces back to Old English *smyllan*, which meant 'to emit a smell or vapour'. It is related to *smēocan* ('to smoke') and *smoca* ('smoke'), suggesting the original idea was something like 'to give off a detectable vapour'. By around 1200, the word had developed both the 'give off an odour' and 'perceive an odour' meanings. The noun meaning 'the sense of smell' appeared in the mid-14th century, and the figurative 'characteristic quality' arose in the early 19th century.