reek
/ˈɹik/
verbnoun
Familiar
1.v.have an element suggestive (of something)
“his speeches smacked of racism”
2.v.smell badly and offensively
“The building reeks of smoke”
3.v.be wet with sweat or blood, as of one's face
Loading page
reek and wreak are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. reek means “have an element suggestive (of something)”. wreak means “cause to happen or to occur as a consequence”.
/ˈɹik/
1.v.have an element suggestive (of something)
“his speeches smacked of racism”
2.v.smell badly and offensively
“The building reeks of smoke”
3.v.be wet with sweat or blood, as of one's face
/ˈɹik/
| reek | wreak | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹik/ | /ˈɹik/ |
| Said | reek | reek |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | verb |
| Senses | 5 | 1 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | smack, smell | bring, work, play |
Full entry for reek · Full entry for wreak · More comparisons
1.v.cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
“I cannot work a miracle”