1. To smell very potently of something unpleasant. My hands always stink of garlic after I have to chop it up. He came down for his prom stinking of his dad's aftershave. The house stinks of wet dog—open the window!

2. To have a lot of or give the strong impression of something particularly unpleasant, offensive, or insidious. The deal struck by the government and the corporate lobbying groups stinks of corruption. The verdict of the trial stinks of prejudice. Their family positively stinks of money.