variants
or smouldering
as in flickering
being on fire with no visible flames but often with much smoke
All that was left of the campfire were smoldering embers.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
variants
or smouldering
1
as in snarling
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
Dissimilar Words
2
as in blazing
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
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of smoldering
Sam McNeil, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
The same year that Vertigo was released, Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart took their smoldering chemistry to Bell, Book and Candle.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
The idea of staging the Ultimate Game in The Big Smoke has been smoldering for nearly two decades, and a London Super Bowl now seems somewhat inevitable.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
In this smoldering Water sign, the messenger planet doesn’t do small talk.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
Three months later, with the rubble of the World Trade Center still smoldering, Mayor-elect Mike Bloomberg called.
—Dr. Tom Frieden, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
The smoldering fire at the Twelve Tribes property had been buried by residents a few days before in a way that was approved by firefighters who stopped by to investigate, authorities said.
—Colleen Slevin, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
That lineage continues with the release of the Nuit Rouge collection, a trio of smoldering extraits that channel Trudon’s DNA into rich and intoxicating compositions formulated to linger close to the skin.
—Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2025
The coincidence suggested that a smoldering root or ember, not fully extinguished, might have been resuscitated by the dry wind.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Egypt’s economic woes Egypt is weathering soaring inflation, as well as instability from the still-smoldering war in neighboring Gaza.
—Sam McNeil, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
The same year that Vertigo was released, Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart took their smoldering chemistry to Bell, Book and Candle.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
The idea of staging the Ultimate Game in The Big Smoke has been smoldering for nearly two decades, and a London Super Bowl now seems somewhat inevitable.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
In this smoldering Water sign, the messenger planet doesn’t do small talk.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
Three months later, with the rubble of the World Trade Center still smoldering, Mayor-elect Mike Bloomberg called.
—Dr. Tom Frieden, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
The smoldering fire at the Twelve Tribes property had been buried by residents a few days before in a way that was approved by firefighters who stopped by to investigate, authorities said.
—Colleen Slevin, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
That lineage continues with the release of the Nuit Rouge collection, a trio of smoldering extraits that channel Trudon’s DNA into rich and intoxicating compositions formulated to linger close to the skin.
—Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2025
The coincidence suggested that a smoldering root or ember, not fully extinguished, might have been resuscitated by the dry wind.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smoldering
Adjective
-
This year, the rumors swirl, a constant, low hum: Outer Heaven and Cuatro Gato, two more flickering lights, are expected to fade.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
-
But there’s more flickering contrast in Narayan van Maele’s lensing, which alternates dun realism with occasionally hyperreal lighting and composition, particularly when the pagan promise of fire is in the frame.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2022
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Carpenter plays Emily in a persuasive, snarling manner that's both chilling and heartbreaking — and the farmhouse in the middle of nowhere serves as the perfect crime scene.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
-
After the war, Riefenstahl’s career included invitations to film festivals and critical praise, a lovely lake home in Bavaria, and snarling attacks on anyone who questioned her lies.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
However, the Miss USA organization is already making amends and blazing new trails with its fresh-faced leadership team.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Now that their legendary predecessors have gained high regards in their own right, these younger kin are blazing their own trails.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Additionally, steaming away wrinkles can give you that high-end feel typically found in a spa or hotel atmosphere.—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Nov. 2025
-
At Curry in a Hurry, Sajjad Chowdhury ladles steaming goat curry into a bowl for a customer while reflecting on the news the very building where investigators say the high-stakes poker games took place is just a block away.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This 32-foot-tall sculpture with flaming red eyes has alarmed travelers for decades, but the story of its creation is even more chilling.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
-
With a bright pattern set on flaming crimson and a diaphanous petticoat underneath, the dress fits her perfectly.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
All that is seen of the Monster is their glowing red stare, and this relates to how Pisces are always looking at others from the sidelines with their own perceptions.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
In a surprising discovery, our team has detected glowing nickel vapor in the gas surrounding the incoming interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS at an extraordinary distance from the sun, where temperatures remain far too cold for metals to normally vaporize.—
Darryl Seligman,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Wolves rode that momentum to a 122-105 victory, snapping a two-game skid.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The anime community is well-represented too; fans in Chainsaw Man, Dan Da Dan, Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia costumes can be seen sauntering down the halls, snapping selfies together.—
Nikki Birch,
NPR,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smoldering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smoldering. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share