smell

The word "smell" is associated with the functioning of a nose:

In these sentences and questions, "smell" is a transitive verb (an object follows the verb).

• Isabela smelled gas in her apartment, so she left the building and called the building manager.
• Don can’t smell anything because he has a cold.
• The dog is smelling something.
• Do you smell that? What is that?
• You should smell these flowers.
• I smell pizza.

In these sentences, "smell" is an intransitive verb (no object):

• The carpet smells bad.
• These peaches smell fresh.
• The meat smelled rotten, so I threw it away.
• It smells like something is burning.
• You smell good.

Be careful when you use the word "smell." In these sentences and questions, the smell is probably a bad odor. (Intonation is important in this instance.)

• What’s that smell? (This question uses "smell" as a noun.)
• Something smells.
• This meat smells. Throw it out.
• He smells.

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This page was first published on September 21, 2012. It was updated on April 27, 2016.