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
Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
Smolen scrambled and threw a high pass into the end zone, where Thompson was smothered by three defenders.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Because these rampant vines smother, strangle, crush, and destroy everything around them.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
Etouffees, stewy mixtures served over rice whose name is derived from the French word for smothered.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
Smolen scrambled and threw a high pass into the end zone, where Thompson was smothered by three defenders.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
Lucas, the Wisconsin transfer, has displayed above-average range and length and the ability to smother receivers.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Because these rampant vines smother, strangle, crush, and destroy everything around them.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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The man previously on Florida’s Death Row for beating, stabbing and strangling a La Carreta waitress with a rice cooker — before lighting a blaze to destroy key evidence — should be condemned to die, Miami prosecutors told a jury after detailing the slaying on Wednesday morning.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
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Their strategy seems to be to strangle the capital and provoke unrest against the military junta.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Between hugs and stifled tears, players walked up to sift through them.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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The space was stifling in the Louisiana heat, so fans were blowing for everyone inside.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In July 2024, Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial ended by being dismissed with prejudice after his attorneys argued that prosecutors had buried evidence.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin has historically struggled to bury chances, while attackers Noah Okafor, Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto are all struggling to keep fit behind him.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Similarly, avoid using steam on moisture-sensitive and heat-sensitive items and surfaces.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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When sautéing, stir the squash often to release steam and prevent browning.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The drought has also set the stage for devastating wildfires in Brazil that have destroyed huge swaths of the Amazon as well as the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetlands, and choked cities in thick smoke.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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For younger children, this is a matter of safety, as toys intended for older kids can contain small pieces that pose choking hazards or materials that aren’t safe to chew on.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Higher rates reduce investment, spending, and economic activity, which naturally suppresses hiring.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
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The reason for this striking look is the inhibitor gene which suppresses pigment deposition at the base of the hair shaft, giving the cat the shimmering effect.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Among those highlighted will be Amanda, a refugee and the first Miss Trans Global Uganda; Sarah, who overcame sight loss to support LGBTQ+ people with disabilities while running marathons; and Leo, a speaker and life coach with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
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Fortunately, modern nandina cultivars like 'Lemon-Lime' from the Southern Living Plant Collection have been bred to overcome these problems.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The honks of wild Canada geese, for instance, fresh out of the Arctic and now high in the clouds going south, signal a change in seasons for me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Best places to view celestial events in Wisconsin The best conditions to see the night sky will be with clear skies without clouds or haze.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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