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
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
And for only children—who believe that a sibling would mean the end of loneliness or a reduction in unwanted or smothering attention, an ally with whom to weather the storm—the wish to have one may be equally strong.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Jan. 2026
When Chelsea try to move through the centre, Sunderland smother it and have the chance to counter — but show crucial patience.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
In the end, Carr’s efforts at the FCC stand to turn laws meant to protect free speech into opportunistic muzzles, leaving network TV smothered by a conversation its leadership spent too long avoiding.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
And for only children—who believe that a sibling would mean the end of loneliness or a reduction in unwanted or smothering attention, an ally with whom to weather the storm—the wish to have one may be equally strong.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
The Halekulani's Honey & Coral Project addresses Okinawa’s crippling red soil erosion – runoff that smothers reefs – by stabilizing the soil with vegetation.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Jan. 2026
When Chelsea try to move through the centre, Sunderland smother it and have the chance to counter — but show crucial patience.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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That’s a dynamic that strangled the labor market.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
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As of March 23, 2026, the global energy market is no longer governed by the invisible hand of economics; it is being strangled by the rigid, non-negotiable laws of engineering.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While there is no law in Connecticut explicitly prohibiting the use of plug-in panels, also known as balcony solar, the need for interconnection agreements with local utilities and a lack of clear regulations has effectively stifled their widespread adoption, experts say.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
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Camp at the trailhead and start early to beat the stifling desert heat, and be rewarded with shafts of ethereal light dancing on the cliffs.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Blinken said the Democratic administrations considered military action but didn’t pursue it because Iran could retaliate and bury its nuclear program deeper underground.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Also stolen was a bronze plaque honoring the 18 unmarked graves of African Americans who were also buried there.—
Paul Burton,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The city of Miami is moving full steam ahead with a plan to relocate City Hall from the iconic Pan American Airways building in Coconut Grove to Miami Freedom Park, a sprawling development site near Miami International Airport.—
Tess Riski
March 26,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Recent polls showed Harris remains ahead of Newsom in a matchup of whom likely Democratic voters would favor in the 2028 election, though Newsom has gained steam in recent months.—
Lia Russell
March 26,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Billy Randolph had shaped them and how his death had altered their lives, responses came after long pauses and were choked with grief.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 27,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
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Or perhaps the team was shellshocked by the Netflix spectacle that delayed the game 20-something minutes and choked the field with fireworks smoke.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The San Bernardino County Fire Department tested new technology on Monday designed to help suppress fires by using sound waves.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Acknowledge anxiety, sadness or grief with openness, instead of trying to suppress those feelings or fueling them with harsh self-criticism.—
J. David Creswell,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bane overcame a slow start by making six of his first seven attempts at the free-throw line to reach 10 points after two quarters.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the third period, including Rielly's snap shot from the high slot that beat Anaheim goalie Ville Husso stick-side to give Toronto a 4-3 lead with three minutes left in regulation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even minor changes in clouds, wind or storms can force delays, especially for a mission of this scale.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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In December, Microsoft and Amazon pledged more than $50 billion toward India's cloud and AI infrastructure in under 24 hours.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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