stink bug
noun
variants
or stinkbug
plural stink bugs or stinkbugs
: any of various hemipterous bugs (family Pentatomidae) that have a flattened, shield-shaped body with a triangular scutellum, emit a disagreeable odor when threatened, disturbed, or crushed, and include agricultural and household pests
The Maryland organic farmer is suffering from an infestation of stink bugs—crop-consuming pests emitting the odor of cilantro mixed with burned rubber and dirty socks.—
Heather Haddon
Heather Haddon… Jay McPherson of nearby Southern Illinois University has recorded fifty kinds of stinkbugs from the Pine Hills; possibly the region now deserves the unenviable title of "Stinkbug Capital of the World."—Robert H. Mohlenbrock
Robert H. MohlenbrockExamples of stink bug in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Get rid of the stink bugs inside your house
Even with all these precautions, stink bugs are going to find a way inside your home.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025
Cicadas are part of the hemiptera order, the same group that includes stink bugs, bed bugs, aphids and cicada families, Kritsky said.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025
These members of the stink bug family have the sucking mouthparts shared by all true bugs, used to feed on cell contents in the plant’s leaves.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2025
More on cicadas and Brood XIV Cicadas are insects that belong to the hemiptera order, which includes stink bugs, bed bugs, aphids and cicada families, Kritsky said.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
The beetle, grasped by the stink bug, was still struggling and fluttering to escape, as Justin took the photo in Hong Kong.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Like, stink bugs and cockroaches, scorpions, ticks, bees, beetles and borers and aphids, snails and mice and voles.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2024
Residents of tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, the insects give off an unpleasant odor when threatened, revealing their relation to stink bugs.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2024
Another way to keep stink bugs out is through preventative measures.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024
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Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025
Cicadas are part of the hemiptera order, the same group that includes stink bugs, bed bugs, aphids and cicada families, Kritsky said.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025
These members of the stink bug family have the sucking mouthparts shared by all true bugs, used to feed on cell contents in the plant’s leaves.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2025
More on cicadas and Brood XIV Cicadas are insects that belong to the hemiptera order, which includes stink bugs, bed bugs, aphids and cicada families, Kritsky said.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
The beetle, grasped by the stink bug, was still struggling and fluttering to escape, as Justin took the photo in Hong Kong.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Like, stink bugs and cockroaches, scorpions, ticks, bees, beetles and borers and aphids, snails and mice and voles.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2024
Residents of tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, the insects give off an unpleasant odor when threatened, revealing their relation to stink bugs.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2024
Another way to keep stink bugs out is through preventative measures.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Stink bug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stink%20bug. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stinkbug
noun
stink·bug
ˈstiŋk-ˌbəg 
: any of various true bugs that give off a bad smell
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