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.
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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.
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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.
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The shutdown ended after 10 air traffic controllers stayed home, snarling air traffic – though TSA staffing shortages at some of the nation’s largest airports were also a contributing factor.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Necas is off to a blazing start this season.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
22 Oct. 2025
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But perhaps more importantly, Cork Tree helped the band become the therapists pumping through the speakers of a whole generation of skinny jean-wearing teens, igniting the pop-punk and emo music scene into a blazing force for the masses.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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As another once-promising season falls apart, this time stamped out in stunningly emphatic fashion, a conversation that had only begun to percolate is now steaming hot.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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Generally speaking, the worse a cop behaves, the more glowing his job evaluations.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Trailing by seven points on their own 23-yard line, Albin called a fake punt, snapping the ball to the upback on fourth-and-11.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Oct. 2025
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Even in an industry increasingly accustomed to head-snapping change, this has been quite a week.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smoldering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smoldering. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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