1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
children should never play inside discarded appliances because they could become trapped and smother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
he quickly smothered his inappropriate laughter at the funeral ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bury
to defeat by a large margin
the soccer team smothered their first few opponents in the championships, but lost narrowly in the final round
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smother
CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
With Smart’s unwavering defensive commitment, the Lakers smothered the Rockets in Game 1 and were just as effective in Game 2 when Durant made his series debut after missing the first game because of a right knee contusion.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
David K. Li, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Defenses were there to smother ball carriers, with no fear of a receiver stretching the field.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
Wallstedt polished off the first Stars' power play by snapping his glove around Mikko Rantanen's shot and smothering Esa Lindell's bad-angle attempt.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
With Smart’s unwavering defensive commitment, the Lakers smothered the Rockets in Game 1 and were just as effective in Game 2 when Durant made his series debut after missing the first game because of a right knee contusion.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
Walker, a fourth-year pro, rushed for a game-high 135 yards as Seattle’s offense did enough to let its defense smother New England into submission.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Defenses were there to smother ball carriers, with no fear of a receiver stretching the field.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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Nearly a month later, not far from Hot Skates and near the Long Island Rail Road tracks, Theresa's body was discovered, beaten, raped and strangled, buried under a pile of leaves and wooden shipping pallets.—
Mary Murphy,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Also, Meatball’s Keystone Kops never checked to see if his DNA appeared on the strap that was used to strangle her with.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Loons’ defense stifled Dallas striker Petar Musa, who came into the game leading MLS with nine goals this season.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
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Conversely, destructive energy hinders performance, breeds resentment, and stifles innovation.—
Rebecca Ahmed,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The houses, deemed radioactive, had been levelled and buried, along with the apple orchard.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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Glen Powell had to face his fears about the face of Hulu’s Chad Powers as co-creator, executive producer and star, even if that face typically is literally buried under layers of prosthetics.—
Scott Huver,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For a truly energizing experience, the signature Water Ritual incorporates a dry sauna, cold deluge shower and wet steam with an invigorating scrub, culminating with dips in the hot and cold plunge pools.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
23 Apr. 2026
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Oklo is likely to gain even more steam as the nuclear energy firm leverages support from the federal government to accelerate its nuclear reactor business, according to HSBC.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The victims, who died from smoke inhalation, might have made it out of the Belmont building alive if their neighbors had closed their doors and choked the oxygen that fed the massive five-alarm fire on Tuesday afternoon.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
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In November 2025, Biggs was preparing for practice in the locker room when Hebert allegedly approached another teammate and choked him in response to a post on Instagram, according to the lawsuit.—
Laura Fay,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fungicides, for instance, are used to suppress disease-causing pathogens like blights and leaf spots, but might also impact beneficial microbes that live in flowers.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
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Researchers from the University of Bristol in England and the University at Buffalo in New York found that people actively trying to suppress food cravings were more likely to spend time watching indulgent food content online — yet ended up eating less of it afterward.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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How Disney’s founder, namesake, and first CEO overcame the crisis of his day may give D’Amaro a blueprint for his.—
Roland Betancourt,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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But even more inspiring was their determination to overcome enormous losses and difficulties to try to make new lives for themselves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But what exactly happens to these baby stars next isn't always clear (literally) because they are buried deep within clouds of dark, dusty gas that obscure them.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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The reporting and visual components offer a clear warning — for Atlanta and beyond — of the need for thoughtful planning for these centers as AI and cloud storage needs grow.—
Hugo Rojo,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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