Stink vs Stank vs Stunk: When and How to Use Each Correctly

The phrase Stink vs Stank vs Stunk highlights how tricky English verb rules can be for both learners and native speakers alike, especially when irregular forms differ from regular ones. These three words often make people pause, unsure which form best fits the sentence. Unlike verbs such as walk and walked, which follow predictable rules, stink, stank, and stunk shift their internal structure. This internal change creates natural pitfalls for learners who want to sound confident in speech and writing. Understanding this pattern helps you avoid mistakes and use these words more fluently.

It took me time to master these subtle shifts, but once I noticed how they worked internally, everything became clear. The trip from unsure to confident happens quickly when you practice using these forms in context. Recognizing the irregular pattern builds your confidence and ensures that every time you use stink, stank, or stunk, it feels natural and correct.

Understanding the Verb Stink

Stink means “to emit a strong, unpleasant smell.” You can use it literally (a rotting banana) or metaphorically (a bad idea).

Key things to know:

• It’s an irregular verb (it doesn’t take “-ed” in past forms)
• In everyday usage, people often use stink in present and future tenses, stank in past, and stunk in perfect forms or passive constructions

Because it’s irregular, you can’t just guess by adding “-ed.” You must memorize its forms.

The Grammar Behind Irregular Verbs

Why do irregular verbs exist? They stem from historical sound shifts, borrowings, and phonetic patterns.

Some patterns in irregular verbs:

• vowel changes (sing → sang → sung)
• no change (cut → cut → cut)
• mixed endings (go → went → gone)

Stink follows a vowel-shift pattern: i → a → u (similar to drink → drank → drunk)

Here’s a mini comparison:

Verb	Present	Past	Past Participle
stink	stink	stank	stunk
drink	drink	drank	drunk
sink	sink	sank	sunk

Understanding this pattern helps you see the connection between these verbs.

Present and Future Tense: Using Stink

Present Tense

Use ‘stink’ when you speak about now or recurring actions. Examples:

• “These old shoes stink.”
• “Dogs sometimes stink after rolling in mud.”

Third person singular adds -s:

• “He stinks after the gym.”

Future Tense

For the future, you typically pair stink with modal or auxiliary verbs:

• “This garbage will stink if you leave it out.”
• “It’s going to stink in here by noon.”

You can also use continuous forms:

• “I am going to be stinking all afternoon if I run that engine.”

Always use the base stink for non-past contexts.

The Past Tense: Stank Explained

Stank is the simple past form. Use it when the action is finished and you don’t need any auxiliary verb.

Examples:

• “Yesterday, the fridge stank so badly I opened every window.”
• “His socks stank after the trip.”

Stank is often more common in conversational or informal English as the default past choice stank > stunk in day-to-day speech.

Important note: You don’t use “had” or “have” with stank when just stating a past smell. That’s reserved for the participle form stunk (next section).

The Past Participle: Stunk Explained

Stunk is the past participle of stink. You use it with helping (auxiliary) verbs like have, has, had, or in passive forms.

Examples:

• “The fridge has stunk ever since we left town.”
• “By the time we arrived, the room had stunk for hours.”

You’ll also see stunk in perfect continuous forms:

• “They have been stinking up the place all day.”

Important rule: Do not use stunk as a simple past without an auxiliary. That’s a very common error.

You can also see stunk in passive constructions (less common):

• “The air was stunk with burnt rubber.”

But that’s rarer.

Comparing Stank vs Stunk

Here’s a clear breakdown:

Use case	Correct form	Example sentence
Simple past (finished past)	stank	“The room stank last night.”
Past participle + auxiliary	stunk	“The room has stunk ever since then.”
Past perfect continuous form	been stinking	“It had been stinking before sunrise.”
Passive (rare)	was stunk	“The place was stunk with fumes.”

Memory tip:

• Stank stands on its own.
• Stunk needs a “helper” (have, has, had).

In many real examples, stank is more idiomatic for past and stunk for perfect forms.

Figurative and Metaphorical Uses

Beyond smells, people use stink, stank, and stunk figuratively—often to express failure, disappointment, or something unpleasant.

Examples

• “That plan stinks from miles away.”
• “The party stank because nobody showed up.”
• “His reputation has stunk ever since that scandal.

You’ll also spot them in idioms:

• “That idea stinks.”
• “It stinks to high heaven.”
• “He stunk at football in high school.”

Note: in figurative usage, people sometimes break the strict grammar rules (e.g., “it stunk” in place of “has stunk”). In informal speech, such flexibility is accepted.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are pitfalls that learners often fall into:

• Using stunk in a simple past sentence without “have/has/had.”
• Treating stank as a past participle with an auxiliary verb (e.g., “has stank”)
• Overusing “stunk” in casual conversation incorrectly
• Forgetting the pattern i → a → u and trying “stinked”
• Confusing other verbs with similar patterns (e.g. sink/sank/sunk vs stink/stank/stunk)

When in doubt, ask: Is there an auxiliary verb (have, has, had)?

• Yes → use stunk
• No → use stank

Verbs That Follow the Same Pattern

Seeing similar verbs helps cement the concept. These verbs share the vowel-shift or irregular pattern:

Verb	Past	Past Participle
drink	drank	drunk
sink	sank	sunk
shrink	shrank	shrunk
sing	sang	sung
stink	stank	stunk

This pattern (i → a → u) shows up in multiple verbs. Recognizing it helps you confidently form their past and participle forms.

Practice Examples & Case Studies

Let’s look at real sentences and short mini-cases to solidify your understanding.

Practice sentences

1. “Yesterday, the dumpster stank so badly the neighbors complained.”
2. “My shoes have stunk since I walked through the swamp.”
3. “I stink if I go without deodorant all day.”
4. “By tonight, the fridge will stink if I don’t clean it.
5. “He had stunk up the car before we got in.”

Mini case: The science lab

In a school lab, chemicals leaked overnight. Students enter the next morning and say:

• “Wow, this room stinks.” (present)
• “Yesterday night it stank — I left immediately.” (past)
• “It has stunk since then, so I opened windows.” (past participle)

This sequence lets you see all three forms in one scenario.

Quick Recap (Cheat Sheet)

• Stink = base form (present, future)
• Stank = simple past (no auxiliary)
• Stunk = past participle (with have/had)

Tense / Form	Usage example
Present / Future	“I stink,” “It will stink”
Simple past	“The room stank last night.”
Past participle + aux.	“The room has stunk for hours.”

Related Grammar Guides

If you’re diving deeper into English quirks, you might also enjoy:

• Fit vs Fitted — when to use each
• What Have You Done vs What Did You Do
• Me vs Myself — pronoun use
• Jurist vs Juror — roles in law
• Fiancé vs Fiancée — gender in French loanwords

Final Thoughts

Mastering “stink,” “stank,” and “stunk” isn’t just about grammar—it’s about fluency and confidence. These forms show how English evolves and bends its own rules. Once you grasp the difference, you’ll never hesitate again when describing something unpleasant, whether literal or figurative.

Remember this: “stink” is your present or future form, “stank” handles the simple past, and “stunk” belongs with auxiliary verbs like have, has, or had. You can also use them figuratively to express disappointment, failure, or distaste.

To retain this easily, think of the pattern i → a → u (stink → stank → stunk). This same shift appears in verbs like sing → sang → sung and drink → drank → drunk. Visual patterns like this help you form strong grammar instincts.

Most importantly, read and listen actively. When you hear someone say, “That plan stunk,” or “The house stank last night,” take note of the context—it reinforces usage naturally. The best way to internalize irregular verbs is consistent exposure, not rote memorization.

So, next time you’re describing a foul odor or a bad situation, you’ll know exactly which word to choose. With practice, your grammar will smell fresh—not stink, stank, or stunk!

FAQs

What is the difference between “stank” and “stunk”?

“Stank” is the simple past tense used alone (e.g., The garbage stank yesterday). “Stunk” is the past participle, used with auxiliary verbs like has or had (e.g., The garbage has stunk all week).

Is “stunk” grammatically correct?

Yes. “Stunk” is the correct past participle form of “stink.” It’s used in perfect tenses such as has stunk, have stunk, or had stunk—never as a standalone past tense.

Can “stank” and “stunk” be used interchangeably?

No. They serve different grammatical functions. “Stank” is used for completed past actions, while “stunk” pairs with auxiliary verbs. For example, The shoes stank vs. The shoes have stunk since Monday.

What is the present tense of “stink”?

The present tense is “stink” (or “stinks” for third person singular). Example: These socks stink. It describes a current or habitual condition.

What verbs follow the same pattern as “stink, stank, stunk”?

Several verbs share the i–a–u vowel pattern, including sing, sang, sung, drink, drank, drunk, sink, sank, sunk, and shrink, shrank, shrunk. Recognizing this pattern makes mastering irregular verbs easier.