smoke

\ ˈsmōk

Definition of smoke

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the gaseous products of burning materials especially of organic origin made visible by the presence of small particles of carbon

b : a suspension of particles in a gas

2a : a mass or column of smoke

b : smudge

3 : fume or vapor often resulting from the action of heat on moisture

4 : something of little substance, permanence, or value

5 : something that obscures

6a(1) : something (such as a cigarette) to smoke

(2) : marijuana sense 2

b : an act of smoking tobacco especially : a smoking break

7a : a pale blue

b : any of the colors of smoke

8 : pitches that are fastballs if a guy's going to hit you … he certainly isn't going to throw a spitter—he gives you smoke— Tony Conigliaro

smoke

verb

smoked; smoking

Definition of smoke (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to emit or exhale smoke

b : to emit excessive smoke

2 archaic : to undergo punishment : suffer

3 : to spread or rise like smoke

4 : to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco especially : to smoke tobacco habitually

transitive verb

1a : fumigate

b : to drive (something, such as mosquitoes) away by smoke

c : to blacken or discolor with smoke smoked glasses

d : to cure by exposure to smoke smoked ham

e : to stupefy (insects, such as bees) by smoke

2 archaic : suspect

3 : to inhale and exhale the smoke of smoke a cigarette

4 archaic : ridicule

5 slang : kill sense 1a

6 slang : to defeat or surpass decisively

7 : to hit (something, such as a baseball) with great force

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Examples of smoke in a Sentence

Noun Smoke from the campfire stung my eyes. We could see black smoke from the house fire. Can I bum a few smokes off you? Verb I caught her smoking a cigarette. He was thrown out of school for smoking marijuana. She smokes and drinks, but I don't. Do you mind if I smoke in here? That old car smokes when you start it up. the smoking remains of a fire We smoke our hams over hickory.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The New South Wales Rural Fire Service said the smoke from around 50 wildfires burning mainly in northern parts of the state. — Washington Post, "Smoke blankets Sydney as wildfires spread across Australia," 21 Nov. 2019 As hazardous smoke from raging bushfires blanket Sydney’s landmarks on Thursday, the Australian Prime Minister refused to admit a direct link between the fires and the country’s carbon emissions, which are among the highest per capita in the world. — Rachael Bunyan, Time, "As Smoke From Bushfires Chokes Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Dodges on Climate Change," 21 Nov. 2019 Air quality is predicted to be poor in the Sydney area on Tuesday, as smoke from nearby fires carries a dangerously high amount of fine particulate matter into the region. — Andrew Freedman, Anchorage Daily News, "Unprecedented, ‘catastrophic’ fire danger in Australia as bush fires rage amid bone-dry conditions, high winds," 11 Nov. 2019 The blazes were so bad that smoke and dust from them had traveled across the Tasman Sea and turned neighboring New Zealand's skies red, the country's media reported. — NBC News, "Australian state declares emergency, faces 'catastrophic' fire danger," 11 Nov. 2019 Satellite photographs showed smoke from the fires billowing hundreds of miles across the Pacific Ocean toward New Caledonia. — BostonGlobe.com, "Most read on BostonGlobe.com," 11 Nov. 2019 Yet in humanity—the keystone species for fire on Earth—those two arenas of earthly burning, like smoke from separate fires drawn into a single convective column, are merging. — Stephen Pyne, Quartz, "The Earth could be entering a planetary fire age," 10 Nov. 2019 The four-bedroom home had been rented on Airbnb by a woman who told the owner family members had asthma and needed to escape smoke from a wildfire burning in nearby wine country, The Associated Press reported. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, "Manhunt for Airbnb Halloween party shooter continues in California," 4 Nov. 2019 The fumes drift toward New Delhi and its suburbs, mixing with construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from fireworks displays during Diwali, the Hindu festival of light. — New York Times, "What India Looks Like When the Air Turns to Poison," 4 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Long before vaping became trendy, the best way to get a nicotine fix was (and often still is) by smoking cigarettes. — Barbara Brody, Health.com, "These 3 Women Were Each Diagnosed With Advanced Lung Cancer—Even Though They Never Smoked," 19 Nov. 2019 According to the statement of probable cause, Smith, the victim, and the victim’s boyfriend were smoking marijuana together at a Westminster residence when the woman became dizzy and fell down. — Mary Grace Keller, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Gwynn Oak man charged with rape, assault in Westminster," 18 Nov. 2019 Services include primary adult care (age 13 and older), hormone therapy, family planning, smoking cessation, cholesterol control, blood pressure control, immunizations, HIV prevention and STI testing and treatment. — Carol Kovach, cleveland, "Many hands needed to help LCAC prepare, deliver 300 Thanksgiving meals to the needy: A Place in the Sun," 12 Nov. 2019 That’s what Igor Kovacic, who holds the slow cigar smoking world record (3 hours 52 minutes 55 seconds), was explaining to me a few minutes before the competition began. — Andrew Keh, New York Times, "At Cigar Smoking Worlds, the Best Always Finish Last," 29 Oct. 2019 The first episode of The Politician features Jessica Lange scamming her way into Olive Garden, Gwyneth Paltrow smoking cigarettes in an expensive caftan, and Ben Platt belting at a funeral. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "Netflix’s The Politician Is a Hilarious Mix of Glee, Scream Queens, and—Weirdly—The Act," 27 Sep. 2019 Niaura also supports vaping for smoking cessation by adults if the proper safeguards are in place for the products. — Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, "Critics: CDC silent on vaping THC as injuries mount," 28 Aug. 2019 In a partitioned room behind the woman, two men smoked and played cards on a wooden dining table, lit only by black light and a slowly rotating disco ball. — Sean Williams, Harper's magazine, "The Black Axe," 19 Aug. 2019 Inhaling this is as unhealthy as smoking 50 cigarettes a day. — The Economist, "India’s toxic smog is a common affliction in middle-income countries," 9 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smoke.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.