Definition

The quality of having a strong, unpleasant smell or being offensive in odor.

Example

The rankness of the garbage made it hard to stay in the room.

Conversation

Did you notice that rankness in the fridge yesterday?

Yeah, I thought it was just me! What was that smell?

I think it might have been some old leftovers; they really had a foul rankness.

Ugh, we definitely need to clean it out before it gets worse!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Rankness → It is formed from "rank" (from Old English "ranc", meaning strong, vigorous, or growing profusely) and the suffix "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word "rankness" refers to the state of being rank, which can imply a strong or excessive growth, often in a negative sense such as unpleasant odor or overgrowth.

Memory Tip

Think of 'rank' meaning strong or excessive growth, and '-ness' indicating a state. This helps you remember that 'rankness' refers to the state of being excessively strong or overgrown.

Visually Confused Words