bad odor

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An unpleasant smell coming from something.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a bad odor' or 'bad odors', and it often follows 'give off' or 'have'.

   Patterns

   • give off a bad odor
   • have a bad odor
   • a bad odor from something

   The trash gave off a bad odor after sitting in the sun all day.

   There was a bad odor coming from the drain in the kitchen.

   Wash the cloth before it develops a bad odor.

2. 2nounsingularfigurative

   A bad feeling or impression that people have about a situation or person.

   Grammar: Used mainly in the fixed phrase 'a bad odor', especially in the pattern 'leave a bad odor'.

   Patterns

   • leave a bad odor
   • a bad odor around something

   The scandal left a bad odor around the whole company.

   His sudden resignation left a bad odor with his colleagues.

Word forms

Common combinations

give off a bad odor

Old paint can give off a bad odor for days.

a bad odor from the drain

We called a plumber because of the bad odor from the drain.

leave a bad odor

The way the deal was handled left a bad odor.

develop a bad odor

Milk will develop a bad odor if you leave it out.

a faint bad odor

I noticed a faint bad odor in the hallway.

Synonyms and how they differ

stench

Much stronger and more negative than 'bad odor'; a stench is overwhelming and disgusting.

smell

Neutral: a smell can be pleasant or unpleasant, while a bad odor is always unpleasant.

stink

Informal and stronger; it suggests something really foul, and it is often used as a verb too.

Opposites

Word family

odor noun

A smell, either pleasant or unpleasant.

odorless adjective

Having no smell at all.

odorous adjective

Having a noticeable smell, often a strong one.

Commonly confused: bad odor or odour? bad odor or aroma?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “bad odor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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