smolder

verb

smol·​der ˈsmōl-dər 

variants or smoulder

smoldered or smouldered; smoldering or smouldering ˈsmōl-d(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

a

: to burn sluggishly, without flame, and often with much smoke

b

: to be consumed by smoldering

—often used with out

2

: to exist in a state of suppressed activity

hostilities smoldered for years

3

: to show suppressed anger, hate, or jealousy

eyes smoldering with hate

Examples of smolder in a Sentence

The remains of the campfire smoldered.

Her eyes smoldered with anger.

Anger smoldered in my heart.

Recent Examples on the Web

The fire is creeping and smoldering along a two-mile stretch of public land in Colorado, and firefighters may be helped by cooler weather and isolated showers Friday and Saturday. —Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 18 July 2025

Minimal overnight activity is anticipated – mostly smoldering and creeping in brush and timber understory with low if any flame lengths and slow rates of spread. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2025

All of this incendiary messaging is assisted by generative-AI images of postapocalyptic, smoldering city streets—pure propaganda to fill the gap between reality and the world as the MAGA faithful wish to see it. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025

Marisol Ramos walked up to the smoldering rubble and wailed. —Sacbee.com, 4 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English smolderen to smother, from smolder smoke, smudge; akin to Middle Dutch smōlen to smolder

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for smolder

• bolder
• bowlder
• colder
• folder
• golder
• holder
• molder
• moulder
• older
• polder
• shoulder
• beholder

Kids Definition

smolder

1 of 2 noun

smol·​der

variants or smoulder

ˈsmōl-dər

: a slow smoky fire

smolder

2 of 2 verb

variants or smoulder

smoldered or smouldered; smoldering or smouldering

-d(ə-)riŋ

1

: to burn slowly with smoke and usually without flame

fire was smoldering in the pit

2

: to exist or continue in a hidden or controlled state

discontent smoldered for years before the revolt

3

: to burn inwardly

anger smoldered in my heart