Smell
Smells, Strong smell, Bad smell
Dreams are mostly made of sights and sounds, so a strong smell stands out when you wake. Pleasant smells, like bread baking or rain on hot pavement, usually come with a sense of welcome and of being drawn toward something. Unpleasant ones lean toward suspicion, and the everyday saying that something 'smells fishy' fits many of these dreams. A smell you can't trace to its source may show you're sensing a situation without being able to name it yet.
Dream variations
- A smell no one else noticesYou're picking up on something the people around you have missed. Mention it lightly to one person you trust and see whether they sense it too.
- Smelling something on yourselfYou're self-conscious about the impression you leave. Most people notice far less than you imagine.
- A delicious smell drawing you inSomething inviting is pulling at you, a plan, a person or a place. Ask what the pull is really about; it may be company as much as the thing itself.
- Trying to find where a smell comes fromSomething feels off, but you can't say what. Check the obvious places first, like the plan you rushed or the message you skimmed.
Related symbols
- PerfumeSmell is closely tied to memory, so perfume in a dream can bring a person or a place back…
- NoseYour nose leads the way, quite literally, and in dreams it's often tied to instinct and…
- SmokeSmoke is what lingers after something has burned, and it drifts into places the fire…
- Rotten foodOpening a container to find the food inside has gone bad is a small shock most people…
Symbol of the day
TicketA ticket is a small piece of paper that says you're allowed in, or allowed to go.
Read more →Dream interpretations are for entertainment.