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DictionarystenchUnpleasant smell
noun

stench

STENCH/stentʃ/

A strong, unpleasant smell.

The stench from the overflowing bin makes the passerby cover his nose.

An overflowing trash bin emits a strong unpleasant odor, passerby covers nose and grimaces, no words.
Etymology
stenchOld Englishsmell, odor

Old English stenc could describe either a pleasant or an unpleasant smell. Its already common association with bad odors became dominant, producing the modern strongly unpleasant sense.

In context

Plainly Difficult467:14
The stench made animals and humans feel sick alike.
Rewind Year 7 of Plainly Difficult | Youtube Omnibus

More examples

  • A stench rose from the drain.
  • Several stenches mingled in the alley.
  • The room retained a stale stench.

Forms

stench · stenches

Similar words

odor
Can be mild or neutral rather than very unpleasant.
reek
An especially strong unpleasant smell.