SCENTING Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

scenting

verb

present participle of scent

as in perfuming

to fill or infuse with a pleasant odor or odor-releasing substance fancy bars of soap scented with lavender

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sniffing

to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose the dog scented a rabbit and suddenly took off

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in sensing

to have a vague awareness of he scented danger

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of scenting The point is simply to have fun tapping into senses and dimensions, whether scenting love notes or entire honeymoon suites. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026 This reed diffuser is excellent for scenting large spaces like living rooms. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 11 June 2026 This year, brands are betting big on banana, scenting their latest launches with the distinctly sweet and utterly nostalgic aroma in time for the hot season ahead. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 19 May 2026 One flower goes a long way in scenting an outdoor space, so don’t surround your patio with pots full of them. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 Marin Humane offers an array of classes for you and your canine buddy, from basic obedience to scenting to agility. — Lisa Bloch, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scenting

Verb

Butterflies are drawn to the small, white flowers that cover plants in spring, perfuming the garden with their sweet fragrance.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 July 2026
Fortunately, that something can be as easy as spicing it with ginger, perfuming it with florals or smoke, or easier still and our favorite version, adding a grapefruit peel to the shaker tin before shaking on ice.

— Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 4 July 2026

Definition of perfuming

Verb

In sniffing out the many, many chemical compounds that naked mole rats produce, scientists found that isopropyl myristate was common among queens and queens alone.

— Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026
Mondon, a 2025 fifth-round pick, opened team drills with the second-team defense by sniffing out a run along the perimeter.

— Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of sniffing

Verb

That could eventually give defense researchers a faster route to developing advanced materials for sensing, energy, and other next-generation technologies.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
And sensing an opportunity, products geared toward a younger audience are regularly using brainrot characters.

— Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of sensing

Verb

Dogs slept outside and got baths every six months and sometimes disappeared for three days and then came home smelling like Paris Hilton circa 2003, and no one asked any questions.

— Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
The fresh-smelling fragrance is available in several Bath & Body Works go-tos, including the Liquidless Reeds and Single Wick Candle.

— Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of smelling

Verb

Mars in your sign challenges disciplined Saturn, creating the deeply irritating experience of feeling motivated and blocked at the same time.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
People start feeling uncomfortable when the dew point creeps into the 60s, particularly the mid and upper 60s.

— Paris Barraza, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of feeling

Verb

And in the summer working, caring for the garden, cultivating my plants, my food, inhaling the sun, seeing my skin become brown just as the flowers are also growing their colours, and my beloved garden plants are delivering their brilliant food.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
More studies are showing the wide-ranging negative health impacts of inhaling wildfire smoke, which is especially toxic when blazes tear through urban areas and burn up household appliances, batteries and chemicals.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of inhaling

Verb

Lisa is seeing what this experience could be for her, which only emphasized just how bad her current situation on RHOSLC is.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of seeing

Browse Nearby Words

scented

scenting

scents

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Scenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scenting. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of scenting

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes