That argument fails the smell test of contact with reality.

"For Jon to say that, just doesn't meet the smell test."

No matter how you look at this, it doesn't pass the smell test.

"I imagine we will pick out some that don't pass the smell test."

"It doesn't pass the smell test," said one Democratic consultant.

Further, their explanation does not begin to pass the smell test.

The question is whether the deal passes the ethical smell test.

We've turned down business that doesn't pass the smell test.

"It just doesn't pass the smell test to do something from within."

"The guy would not have passed the smell test," he said.