stinks

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "stinks" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean something smells bad, or is of poor quality. For example: "This food stinks; I don't want to eat it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Yet again, the timing of this operation stinks.

The Guardian - Sport

The place permanently stinks of piss and is under constant police surveillance, as dealers and clients scurry back and forth between their hiding places.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Or they're supposed to be like Splash!, where the second series is just a lazy replica of the first and the whole thing stinks of last-chance, please-like-me desperation.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Their values, their dress, their behaviour - everything about them - stinks of violence, vandalism, and vice.

The Guardian

And frankly to just do it for political expediency stinks".

The Guardian

If you've never read it, everything takes place in a weirdly stilted room that – although never made explicit – probably stinks to high heaven of formaldehyde.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The water stinks.

The Economist

Zev Yaroslavsky, an effusive Los Angeles county supervisor, thundered that the agreement "stinks" and that it would "hurt a lot of people that don't deserve to be hurt".The anger at the local level may be understandable, but the pressure on lawmakers in Sacramento to agree on a budget had been cranking up in recent weeks, and the state was running out of options for short-term funding.

The Economist

These charges, along with some commercials that weakly attempt to humanise the man, have done little to move his poll numbers anywhere but, at best, sideways.It's back to the trough for Ms Ernst in her latest ad::It's a mess dirty, noisy, and it stinks.

The Economist

But for many Malaysians the verdict, which Mr Anwar said "stinks to high heaven", is a sad outcome.

The Economist

Struan Stevenson, chairman of the European Parliament's fisheries committee, says the sacking of Mr Smidt "stinks to high heaven" and has called a special session of his committee to investigate matters.Mr Smidt's removal is all the sadder because it was announced as part of a package of reforms that were intended to give governments less ability to influence commission decisions improperly.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "stinks" to express strong disapproval or disgust, both literally for bad smells and figuratively for poor quality or unethical situations.

Common error

Avoid using "stinks" in formal writing or professional settings. Opt for more neutral or professional alternatives like "is substandard" or "is deficient" to maintain a suitable tone.

Linguistic Context

"Stinks" primarily functions as a verb, specifically the third-person singular present tense of the verb "stink". It describes the action of emitting an unpleasant odor or, figuratively, being of very poor quality. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and usable word in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

7%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "stinks" functions primarily as a verb expressing an unpleasant odor or a general sense of disapproval. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable term in English, commonly found in news and media, though less so in formal contexts. Related phrases include "smells bad" or "is awful", offering alternatives with varying degrees of formality. When writing, it's crucial to reserve "stinks" for informal situations to avoid sounding unprofessional. The phrase sees frequent use across diverse sources, indicating its versatility in expressing negative sentiments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smells bad

Focuses specifically on the unpleasant odor aspect.

is awful

A more general expression of poor quality or disagreeableness.

is terrible

Similar to "is awful" but potentially stronger in connotation.

is disgusting

Emphasizes the repulsive nature of something.

is repulsive

Indicates something is causing intense distaste or aversion.

is substandard

Highlights the failure to meet a required level of quality.

is offensive

Highlights that something is causing someone to feel resentful or annoyed.

is deficient

Implies something is lacking essential qualities or components.

is rancid

Describes a very unpleasant smell or taste, often due to decomposition.

is putrid

Indicates something is decaying and has a very unpleasant smell.

FAQs

How can I use "stinks" in a sentence?

"Stinks" can be used to describe unpleasant odors, as in "This garbage stinks", or to express strong disapproval, such as "The whole situation "stinks to high heaven"".

What can I say instead of "stinks"?

You can use alternatives like "smells bad", "is awful", "is terrible", or "is disgusting" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the word "stinks"?

The word "stinks" is appropriate in informal settings or when expressing strong negative feelings. It should be avoided in formal or professional communication where more neutral language is preferred.

What does it mean when someone says something "stinks to high heaven"?

Saying something ""stinks to high heaven"" is an idiom that means something is extremely unpleasant, unfair, or corrupt. It's a strong expression of disapproval.