variants
or smoulder
1
as in to anger
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
She smoldered when first learning of her son's misbehavior at school, but had calmed down by the time he arrived home.
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2
as in to blaze
to be on fire usually with smoke but few flames
They look forward to those long summer nights telling stories beside a smoldering campfire.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smolder
The Griselda actress smoldered in a bright red strapless gown with a plunging sweetheart neckline, a corset-style bodice, and a form-fitting silhouette that subtly flared out into a mermaid design around her knees.
—
Lara Walsh, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026
But the killing of George Floyd didn’t end in the smoldering rubble of the Third Precinct.
—Jennifer Brooks, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Governed by shadowy Pluto, this Water sign is quite polarizing, given its intensity and smoldering passion.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
The scene remains active with smoldering and flames contained to certain areas within the lumber, Hopkins said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Lara Walsh, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026
But the killing of George Floyd didn’t end in the smoldering rubble of the Third Precinct.
—Jennifer Brooks, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Governed by shadowy Pluto, this Water sign is quite polarizing, given its intensity and smoldering passion.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
The scene remains active with smoldering and flames contained to certain areas within the lumber, Hopkins said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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Opposition to the war grew in Australia along with the Palestinian death toll, and last September the government angered Israeli leaders by supporting other like-minded Western nations, including Canada and the United Kingdom, by formally recognizing Palestinian statehood.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
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Republican senators, who were responding to the revelation subpoenas of members’ phone records by former special counsel Jack Smith in his 2020 election probe, had previously blindsided and angered the House by including that provision in a bill to end the historic government shutdown.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The latest uptick continued a blazing-hot stretch for gold.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2026
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These stray images were then blasted away by a blazing sun that completely filled the space of awareness before transforming itself into a gigantic eyeball—a sighted sun with a black circle of iris.—
Michael Pollan,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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John Perrine said that I-70 westbound lanes are reopening after crashes snarled traffic there this morning.—
Jen Guadarrama,
IndyStar,
27 Jan. 2026
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The Sepulveda Transit Corridor project would connect the Westside to the San Fernando Valley in less than 20 minutes and ideally eliminate traffic congestion along one of the nation’s busiest corridors by offering an alternative to the snarling 405 Freeway over the Santa Monica Mountains.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Melody Townsend was convicted after the body of her daughter, Ana Marie Townsend, was found by first responders wrapped in plastic inside the attic of a burned, abandoned home in the 15400 block of Hamlin Avenue in Markham in 2017.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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When James Watt improved steam engine efficiency, factories did not burn the same amount of coal to do the same work.—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Transfer to a large plate, spreading out to keep from steaming.—
Hana Asbrink,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Luz’s agency had scored the gillagers a dump truck, part of a citywide program encouraging poor Manileños to trade garbage for rice and instant noodles, but most scavenging was carried out by teams of boys and young men who scampered over steaming filth.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Allison’s husband, Rich Statter, quickly stepped in and grabbed his wife's flaming hair, putting out the fire with his hands.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The luxury Swiss Alps nightclub where at least 40 people were killed and nearly 120 others were injured in a New Year’s Eve inferno, had previously released a promotional video advertising flaming champagne bottles, which authorities deemed the cause of the tragedy.—
Emma Bussey , Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Danault snapped it right back to Kaiden Guhle at the blue line and as a mass of humanity formed in front of the Vegas net, Guhle attempted a shot that quickly deflected back toward the Canadiens’ zone.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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As soon as Robinson snapped the blade in, Khusnutdinov jumped onto the ice and joined the weave in the offensive zone, dropping the puck for the circling Pastrnak, who then executed the pretty give-and-go with McAvoy for the winner.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Coughlan glowed in Penelope's wedding dress and shared a look with her husband-to-be, Colin.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
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Using these newer observations, the team was finally able connect the glowing ring of material around M87* to the base of the jet erupting from this supermassive black hole, giving a probable origin point for this jet.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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