What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
odorous
Example
The odorous flowers filled the room with a sweet fragrance. [odorous: adjective]
Example
The bakery was filled with the odorous smell of freshly baked bread. [odorous: adjective]
smelly
Example
The garbage can was very smelly and needed to be taken out. [smelly: adjective]
Example
The bathroom had a smelly odor that needed to be eliminated. [smelly: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Smelly is more commonly used than odorous in everyday language. Smelly is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while odorous is less common and is often used in more formal or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between odorous and smelly?
Odorous is more formal than smelly and is often used in scientific or technical contexts. Smelly, on the other hand, is more informal and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
