odorous applies to whatever has a strong distinctive smell whether pleasant or unpleasant.
odorous cheeses should be tightly wrapped
fragrant applies to things (such as flowers or spices) with sweet or agreeable odors.
a fragrant rose
redolent applies usually to a place or thing impregnated with odors.
the kitchen was redolent of garlic and tomatoes
aromatic applies to things emitting pungent often fresh odors.
an aromatic blend of tobaccos
Examples of fragrant in a Sentence
The soup was fragrant with herbs and spices.
the balsam fir is a favorite as a Christmas tree because it is so fragrant
Recent Examples on the WebPeonies produce large flowers that are also fragrant and there are many varieties to choose from.—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 27 Apr. 2024 During my 60-minute Zanzibar Spice Scrub, I was massaged and buffed with a concoction of fragrant cloves, healing lemongrass, and nourishing moringa oil.—Jackie Caradonio, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024 Essential oils are fragrant plant extracts, made by steaming or pressing plants, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024 Below are also a few especially fragrant/flavorful recipes from our archives.—Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024 This recipe relies on a heady blend of North African spices muddled with oil, lemon and runny honey to create a soupy, fragrant paste.—Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024 Several fragrant items are passed around the table.—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024 Decor came to life under the guidance of Save Venice Co-Chair Bronson van Wyck, with verdant foliage and fragrant blooms punctuated by life-sized trees.—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2024 The sweet environment is fragrant in a contradictory way — enticing and sickly, indulgent and off-putting, decidedly lovely and vaguely gross.—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fragrant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin fragrant-, fragrans, from present participle of fragrare to be fragrant
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