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
Mideast nations fear an attack could spiral into a new regional war as the embers of the yearslong Israel-Hamas war still smolder.
—
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Worshippers arriving for the day's first prayers found the damage and a smoldering fire that spewed black smoke across the entrance of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque in the town of Tell, near Nablus, and stained the ornate doorway.
—Aref Tufaha, Arkansas Online, 24 Feb. 2026
Lucifer matches gave easier voice to grievances that had been smoldering in the breasts of rural people for decades.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
This can generate enough heat that the cardboard can start to smolder, or even ignite.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Worshippers arriving for the day's first prayers found the damage and a smoldering fire that spewed black smoke across the entrance of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque in the town of Tell, near Nablus, and stained the ornate doorway.
—Aref Tufaha, Arkansas Online, 24 Feb. 2026
Lucifer matches gave easier voice to grievances that had been smoldering in the breasts of rural people for decades.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
This can generate enough heat that the cardboard can start to smolder, or even ignite.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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The two sat up front and refused to move, angering the driver, who stormed off at every stop, all through the night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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The policy coincided with hurricane season, and relief efforts in states such as Missouri, North Carolina, and California were delayed, angering the public and, in many cases, their Republican representatives.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Article continues below Unfortunately, a passing asteroid deposits a killer alien robot in their midst, and the soldiers must fend for themselves as this marauding mech stalks them with guns and lasers blazing.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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The sun would blaze the limestone steps.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That was followed by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which led to a spike in energy prices, snarling supply chains and prompting a risk-off move in emerging markets.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Traffic became snarled in and around the Church Street entrance to the garage.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Many works of Georges Méliès are even believed to have been burned as the original negatives, as the nitrate film stock is incredibly fragile and inflammable.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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Vlad returns to find the protagonist and John trapped in the burning cabin and pulls them out.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But portioning the layered dish into individual servings before cooking and steaming it on the stovetop?—
Gretchen McKay,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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But the different pockets and components formed by the bone structure help steam the meat to keep it juicy.—
Stella Fong,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Find a bit of room for the profiteroles or Grand Marnier flaming crème brûlée.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
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Jalisco cartel lieutenants threw up flaming roadblocks in 20 of Mexico’s 32 states, according to the government.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The cysts are harmless but greatly affect the guard’s range of motion, including the flexing and snapping motions necessary to take a jump shot.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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The win not only snaps a three-game losing streak but also strengthens UCF’s NCAA Tournament resume with Selection Sunday a few days away.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This hunch was borne out when the astronomers found that, even though the globular clusters were languishing in an empty stretch of Perseus, they were surrounded by a halo of glowing matter — a telltale sign of a galaxy.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
5 Mar. 2026
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Ahead, shop our favorite bronzers for mature skin that deliver warmth, depth, and glow.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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