stink

UK: /ˈstɪŋk/ US: /stɪŋk/ ,(stingk)

Inflections of 'stink' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

stink

v 3rd person singular

stinking

v pres p

stank

v past

stunk

v past (Nonstandard)

stunk

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

stink /stɪŋk/   v., stank /stæŋk/  or, often, stunk/stʌŋk/ ;
stunk;
stink•ing;
 n. 
v. 

1. to (cause to) give off a strong, bad smell: [no object]
   The kitchen stinks; what are you cooking in there?
   [~ + of + object]
   The hallways stank of cabbage and beer.
   [~ + up + object]
   They stank up the hallways with the smell of sour herring.
2. Informal Terms to be very bad, unpleasant, or inferior:
   [no object* not: be + ~ -ing] This job stinks!
3. Slang Terms [Informal.] [no object* sometimes: ~ + of + object] to suggest something dishonest or scandalous, or some disagreeable attribute:
   "This case stinks of corruption,'' cried the D.A.

n. [countable* usually singular]

4. a very strong, powerfully disgusting smell:
   a stink of open sewers.
5. Informal Terms an unpleasant fuss;
   commotion:
   She made a big stink about her boss calling her "Miss'' instead of "Ms.''

stink•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

stink (stingk),  v., stank or, often, stunk;
stunk;
stink•ing;
 n. 

v.i. 

1. to emit a strong offensive smell.
2. to be offensive to honesty or propriety;
   to be in extremely bad repute or disfavor.
3. Informal Terms to be disgustingly inferior:
   That book stinks.
4. Slang Terms to have a large quantity of something (usually fol. by of or with):
   They stink of money. She stinks with jewelry.

v.t. 

5. to cause to stink or be otherwise offensive (often fol. by up):
   an amateurish performance that really stank up the stage.
6. stink out, to repel or drive out by means of a highly offensive smell.

n. 

7. a strong offensive smell;
   stench.
8. Informal Terms an unpleasant fuss;
   scandal:
   There was a big stink about his accepting a bribe.
9. British Terms stinks, (used with a sing. v.)chemistry as a course of study.

• bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English stinken, Old English stincan; (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal; cognate with German stinken. (verb, verbal); compare stench

Synonyms

• 1. reek.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stink / stɪŋk/ noun

1. a strong foul smell; stench
2. a great deal of trouble (esp in the phrase to makeorraise a stink)
3. like stink ⇒ intensely; furiously

verb (stinks, stinking, stank, stunk, stunk)(mainly intr)

1. to emit a foul smell
2. to be thoroughly bad or abhorrent: this town stinks
3. to have a very bad reputation: his name stinks
4. to be of poor quality
5. followed by of or with: to have or appear to have an excessive amount (of money)
6. (transitive) usually followed by up: to cause to stink

Etymology: Old English stincan; related to Old Saxon stinkan, German stinken, Old Norse stökkva to burst; see stench