1 B1 informal
To cause an enclosed space to be filled with a strong, usually unpleasant smell.
"Whoever microwaved that fish really smelled up the whole office."
separable
smell up
B1 informal separable transitive
To fill a space with a strong or unpleasant smell.
In plain English
To make a room or place smell bad.
What does "smell up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 informal
To ruin or spoil something by introducing a bad smell (figurative extension).
"The cigarette smoke had smelled up all the curtains and furniture."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fill a space up with a smell.
Actually means
To make a room or place smell bad.
Usage tip
Predominantly American English. British speakers are more likely to say 'stink out'. Used almost always with a negative connotation — the smell is unpleasant. The object is usually a room, house, or enclosed space.
Words that pair with "smell up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
room house kitchen car office place
How to conjugate "smell up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
smell up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
smells up
he/she/it
Past simple
smelled up
yesterday
Past participle
smelled up
have + pp
-ing form
smelling up
continuous
Hear "smell up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "smell up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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