# smelly

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsmɛli/ · frequency rank #19,973

## Definitions
1. Having a bad smell.
2. Having a quality that arouses suspicion.
3. Having signs that suggest a design problem; having a code smell.

## Etymology
From smell + -y.

## Easily confused with
- **spell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-spell)
- **swell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-swell)
- **sully** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-sully)
- **smelt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-smelt)
- **snell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-snell)
- **stella** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-stella)
- **smiley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-smiley)
- **steely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelly-vs-steely)
- **sell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sell-vs-smelly)
- **small** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/small-vs-smelly)
- **smell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smell-vs-smelly)
- **shell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shell-vs-smelly)
- **silly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/silly-vs-smelly)
- **sells** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sells-vs-smelly)
- **sally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sally-vs-smelly)
- **Selby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/selby-vs-smelly)
- **shells** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shells-vs-smelly)
- **Shelby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shelby-vs-smelly)
- **shelly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shelly-vs-smelly)
- **Scully** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scully-vs-smelly)

## Common misspellings (8)
`mselly`, `semlly`, `smellyy`, `smely`, `smelyl`, `smlely`, `smmelly`, `ssmelly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/smelly