smell

Something in the air that you notice with your nose.

• There is a strange smell here.
• I love the smell of fresh bread.
• The kitchen was full of delicious smells.

How to use it: the smell of something (The smell of coffee filled the room.)

Similar words: scent, odour, aroma

Common phrases: strong smell, smell of something, bad smell

The ability to notice things in the air using your nose.

• Dogs have a strong sense of smell.
• She lost her sense of smell during the illness.
• Taste and smell help us enjoy food.

Similar words: olfaction

Common phrases: sense of smell, keen smell

To notice or examine something using your nose.

• I can smell coffee.
• She smelled the flowers before buying them.
• Can you smell something burning?

How to use it: smell something doing something (I could smell bread baking.)

Similar words: sniff, detect

Common phrases: smell the flowers, smell something burning, smell smoke

To give off something that people notice with their noses.

• The soup smells good.
• Those flowers smelled wonderful yesterday.
• Something in the kitchen is smelling delicious.

How to use it: smell + adjective (The bread smells fresh.)

Common phrases: smell good, smell sweet, smell wonderful, smell like something

To give off an unpleasant odour.

• Your socks smell!
• The rubbish smelled after a few days.
• Why does the bathroom smell so bad?

Similar words: stink, reek

Common phrases: smell bad, smell terrible, smell awful