miasma
/maɪˈæzmə/
noun
- A bad smell or vapor that comes from decaying matter, once thought to cause disease.
- In the 1800s, doctors believed that a miasma from the sewers caused cholera.
- The swamp gave off a thick miasma that made the villagers feel sick.
- The rotting garbage created a miasma that hung over the alley.
- A harmful or unpleasant atmosphere or influence that surrounds a place or situation.
- Years of corruption created a miasma that choked the government.
- The office was filled with a miasma of gossip and distrust.
- A miasma of fear spread through the town after the robbery.