Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

“Smell like” or “smell of”?

Both expressions are standard. Smell like is common for comparisons and recognisable scents. Smell of is often more descriptive or literary.

Quick answer

How do smell like and smell of differ?

Use smell like to compare a smell to something familiar. Use smell of to describe a quality or scent associated with something.

This soup smells like garlic.
The room smelled of fresh paint.
It smells like rain.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
smell like + thing

Comparing a smell to something familiar

Like introduces the thing the smell resembles.

Your jacket smells like smoke.
The kitchen smells like coffee.
2
smell of + substance

Describing an associated scent

Of often appears in descriptive or formal contexts.

The cellar smelled of damp wood.
Her hands smelled of soap.
3
smell like + clause

Making broader comparisons

Like can introduce a noun phrase that suggests an impression or similarity.

It smells like something is burning.
That perfume smells like summer flowers.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
smell like
The sauce smells like tomatoes.
the scent resembles something familiar
smell of
The old books smelled of dust.
the scent is associated with something
smell as
The room smelled as clean as soap.
as introduces comparison, not the usual smell pattern
smell with
She smelled the sauce with caution.
with describes manner, not the scent source

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using of after direct sensory comparison

Like is more natural for straightforward comparisons.

✕ It smells of chocolate cake exactly. ✓ It smells like chocolate cake.

Forgetting that both forms are standard

The choice depends on style and meaning, not correctness.

✓ The hallway smelled of smoke.

Confusing smell with smell of

Smell can also take a direct object without a preposition.

✕ I smelled of the flowers. ✓ I smelled the flowers.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The room smelled ___ fresh bread.
2. His coat smelled ___ rain.
3. It smells like something ___ burning.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Is smell of old-fashioned?

No. It is still standard, especially in descriptive writing.

Which is more common in conversation?

Smell like is especially common in everyday speech.

Can smell take no preposition?

Yes. You can say smell the flowers when someone actively uses their nose.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account