Fetid: meaning, definitions and examples

Describes an extremely unpleasant smell, often associated with decay or rot, typically used in a formal or literary context.

• The fetid odor of the old, abandoned house made it clear that something had died inside.

Commonly used in everyday speech to describe something that smells very bad, often with a connotation of disgust.

• The trash can emitted a foul smell after being left out in the sun for days.

Describes something rotten or decomposing, usually with a strong, offensive smell; often used in a vivid or dramatic context.

• The putrid smell of the spoiled meat made everyone in the room gag.

A formal term often used in scientific, medical, or technical contexts to describe a bad smell.

• The lab detected malodorous bacteria in the contaminated water sample.

Describes a strong, unpleasant smell, and can also imply something is extremely offensive; commonly used in informal speech.

• The locker room was rank with the smell of sweat and dirty socks.