smother

1 of 2

verb

smoth·​er ˈsmə-t͟hər How to pronounce smother (audio)
smothered; smothering ˈsmə-t͟hə-riŋ How to pronounce smother (audio)
ˈsmət͟h-riŋ

transitive verb

1
a
: to kill by depriving of air
b
: to suppress (a fire) by excluding oxygen
c
: to overcome or discomfit through or as if through lack of air
2
a
: to suppress expression or knowledge of
smothered his rage
b
: to stop or prevent the growth or activity of
smother a child with too much care
also : overwhelm
c
: to cover thickly : blanket
snow smothered the trails
d
: to overcome or vanquish quickly or decisively
e
: to cause to smolder
3
: to overcome or kill with smoke or fumes
4
: to cook in a covered pan or pot with little liquid over low heat

intransitive verb

: to be overcome or killed through or as if through lack of air

smother

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: thick stifling smoke or smudge
b
: a state of being stifled or suppressed
2
: a dense cloud (as of fog or dust)
3
: a confused multitude of things : welter
smothery
ˈsmə-t͟hə-rē How to pronounce smother (audio)
ˈsmət͟h-rē
adjective

Examples of smother in a Sentence

Verb He tried to smother her with a pillow. She smothered the fire with a blanket.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Leonard is 21st in the NBA in scoring (24.1 points per game), tied for third in three-point shooting (45.3%) and fourth in steals (1.7), to go with his all-around game of 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and his smothering defense. Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 The meals cast new light on her grandmother’s post-church smothered pork chops and cast-iron cornbread. Kim Severson, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 After taking a 15-point first-half lead behind sizzling shooting and smothering defense, the Spartans once again found themselves in another dogfight. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024 Its fish was muddy and, worse, it was smothered in tartar sauce. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Defensively, the Nuggets smothered the Warriors from the end of the second quarter onwards. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 Sarah has a pillow and is smothering a woman whom she’s caught in the bed. Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2024 Mustard and ketchup smothering the dog don’t just add a familiar taste. Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2024 Instead, the main reason for avoiding cold temperatures is a reduction in how effective the oil will be at smothering the pest. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024
Noun
If the bacteria hypothesis was right, the rusting could gradually smother streams almost anywhere there's permafrost—an area that includes about one fourth of the Northern Hemisphere. Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2023 Soaps and oils smother overwintering scales and insect eggs and are least harmful to beneficial insects. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2024 More specifically, the Chargers must contend with dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson and a defense that can smother. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2023 But first, an update on my ongoing quest to find the cheapest, easiest and most effective way to smother weeds and unwanted lawns to create drought-tolerant landscapes and better soil. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023 Teigen, 37, captioned a video shared on Instagram where she and Legend, 44, smother 11-week-old Wren’s check with kisses. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023 If the runoff were to carry fertilizers or sewage rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, Smith said the reefs could also run the risk of an algae bloom, which can overgrow and smother corals. Kate Selig, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Aug. 2023 Because these rampant vines smother, strangle, crush, and destroy everything around them. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 7 July 2023 Oppressive heat smothers South In the mid- to lower Mississippi River Valley and the Deep South, temperatures on Friday will again near or top 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Taylor Ward, CNN, 30 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smother.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, alteration of smorther, from smoren to smother, from Old English smorian to suffocate; akin to Middle Dutch smoren to suffocate

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of smother was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near smother

Cite this Entry

“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smother. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smother

verb
smoth·​er
ˈsmət͟h-ər
smothered; smothering
-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to be overcome or killed through lack of air
2
: to overcome or kill by depriving of air or exposing to smoke or fumes
3
a
: to prevent the development or actions of
smother a child with too much care
b
: to cover up : suppress
smother a yawn
c
: to cover thickly
steak smothered with mushrooms

More from Merriam-Webster on smother

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!