Synonyms of smoldered

smoldered

verb

variants or smouldered

past tense of smolder

1

as in snarled

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.

Related Words

• snarled
• angered
• snapped
• steamed
• burned
• seethed
• stormed
• foamed
• sputtered
• raged
• flared (up)
• bristled
• vented
• fumed
• flipped (out)
• blew up
• ranted
• vituperated
• blustered
• raved
• fulminated
• carried on
• teed off
• stewed
• rampaged
• took on
• chafed
• fretted

Dissimilar Words

• contained
• suppressed
• collected
• composed
• swallowed
• checked
• soothed
• restrained
• subdued
• smothered
• stifled
• repressed
• strangled
• tempered
• choked (back)
• appeased
• eased
• allayed
• cooled
• curbed
• pacified
• moderated
• relaxed
• reined
• settled
• pocketed
• quieted
• calmed
• stilled
• toned (down)
• hushed
• quelled
• let up

2

as in blazed

to be on fire usually with smoke but few flames

They look forward to those long summer nights telling stories beside a smoldering campfire.

Related Words

• blazed
• burned
• glowed
• flickered
• flamed
• combusted
• sputtered
• ignited
• sparkled
• charred
• sparked
• kindled
• glistened
• fired
• enkindled
• shimmered
• gleamed
• melted
• roasted
• scorched
• caught
• lit (up)
• wavered
• cooked
• baked
• broiled
• guttered
• twinkled
• flared (up)
• glittered
• glimmered
• shone
• deflagrated
• brightened
• radiated
• glared
• flashed
• sweltered
• beamed
• glinted
• beat (down)
• scintillated

Dissimilar Words

• extinguished
• darkened
• dimmed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of smoldered

Prosecutors say the blaze allegedly started by Rinderknecht smoldered underground for days before exploding into the wildfire that killed 12 people, destroyed thousands of structures across Los Angeles County, and burned more than 23,000 acres. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2026

Prosecutors said the Lachman fire smoldered underground for a week before exploding into the deadly Palisades fire. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

In 2024, a Lineage facility in Washington state caught fire and smoldered for two months, Northwest Public Broadcasting reported. — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 June 2026

More specifically, the ’90s chemistry queen Rene Russo, who has smoldered onscreen with everyone from Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson to Pierce Brosnan and John Travolta. — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026

Smith beamed a luminous smile as Brosnan smoldered for the camera on the red carpet in 1995. — John Russell, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026

Crews work to uncover and cool unused coal which has smoldered for 20 years near Florence, Colorado. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026

Her decision to stop the publication of a 60 Minutes piece about a Salvadoran prison that had been cleared by others at the network sparked an internal fire that smoldered for weeks until the story eventually aired. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026

For about a week, the fire smoldered at low intensity, doing its work on a patch of roughly 120 acres. — New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026