Isn’t it amazing how words can take shape and materialize into depictions of real-world encounters, including scents and sounds? With a few poetic lines, a reader can visualize precisely how an author was feeling, down to the very smell in the room.
The more descriptive the word, the greater the chance that the imagination will recreate the scent. That’s why it’s vital to have a few descriptive words for scents ready to go. You never know when you’ll want to share the memory of a fine day, right down to the jasmine wafting through the air.
Descriptive Words for Scents
The word “scent” can refer to a lovely perfume or a strong odor. There are many synonyms you can use instead of the word “scent” to avoid repetition, including:
| Aroma | Odorize |
| Aura | Perfume |
| Balm | Pheromone |
| Bouquet | Redolence |
| Essence | Smell |
| Fragrance | Whiff |
| Incense |
If you’re looking for antonyms of the word “scent” instead, you could use: stench, stink, or deodorize.
Some descriptive words for scents refer to what made the smell or explain what it smells like. For example:
| Doggy | Minty |
| Lemon | Moldy |
| Lemony | Pine |
| Lilac | Plastic |
| Lime | Rose |
| Mildewed | Skunky |
| Mint | Woodsy |
Most descriptive words for scents describe the way something smells or what the smell represents. These include words like:
| Acid | Musty |
| Acrid | Nauseating |
| Airy | Perfumed |
| Biting | Pungent |
| Clean | Putrid |
| Crisp | Rancid |
| Dirty | Redolent |
| Earthy | Repulsive |
| Faint | Rotten |
| Feminine | Sharp |
| Fetid | Sour |
| Fishy | Spicy |
| Floral | Spoiled |
| Flowery | Stale |
| Fresh | Stinking |
| Light | Sweaty |
| Loamy | Sweet |
| Masculine | Tart |
| Moist | Wispy |
Descriptive Words Set the Mood
It is said that our sense of smell is our strongest link to memories, even more than our sight or hearing. Indeed, scents can bring back the past or can set the mood for new experiences. So, why wouldn’t we want to incorporate some of that into our speech and writing?
As you continue to create various scenes within your writing, you can utilize this list of descriptive words: adjectives, adverbs, and gerunds. Get ready to bring entire universes to life with your words.
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"Descriptive Words for Scents." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 August 2018. <http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/descriptive-words-for-scents.html>.
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Descriptive Words for Scents. (n.d.). Retrieved August 17th, 2018, from http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/descriptive-words-for-scents.html
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By YourDictionary
Isn’t it amazing how words can take shape and materialize into depictions of real-world encounters, including scents and sounds? With a few poetic lines, a reader can visualize precisely how an author was feeling, down to the very smell in the room.The more descriptive the word, the greater the chance that the imagination will recreate the scent. That’s why it’s vital to have a few descriptive words for scents ready to go. You never know when you’ll want to share the memory of a fine day, right down to the jasmine wafting through the air.
