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
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Recent Examples of smoldering
Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 1 Feb. 2026
His smoldering stare has been illegally printed on T-shirts by dozens of small Chinese businesses through the global marketplace AliExpress.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Blackened trees and a smoldering log made clear that fires are a common way to keep warm.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026
The ancient ritual will see smoke from smoldering native leaves waft over the island’s sandy beaches – to cleanse, and to heal.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
The Times found that a battalion chief ordered firefighters to roll up their hoses and leave the burn area despite complaints by crews that the ground was still smoldering.
—Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
As Duncan Kane, Teddy Dunn brought the smoldering James Dean energy to his traumatized character.
—Sezin Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
And that eye could see past Dorothy’s drab uniform and Cindy Brady pigtails, her tall girl’s diffidence and her sweet girl’s shyness, to the bombshell smoldering underneath.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 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
Verb
Besides their long, dark hair and smoldering gazes, what do Charli XCX and Salma Hayek have in common?
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 1 Feb. 2026
His smoldering stare has been illegally printed on T-shirts by dozens of small Chinese businesses through the global marketplace AliExpress.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Blackened trees and a smoldering log made clear that fires are a common way to keep warm.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026
The ancient ritual will see smoke from smoldering native leaves waft over the island’s sandy beaches – to cleanse, and to heal.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
The Times found that a battalion chief ordered firefighters to roll up their hoses and leave the burn area despite complaints by crews that the ground was still smoldering.
—Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
As Duncan Kane, Teddy Dunn brought the smoldering James Dean energy to his traumatized character.
—Sezin Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
And that eye could see past Dorothy’s drab uniform and Cindy Brady pigtails, her tall girl’s diffidence and her sweet girl’s shyness, to the bombshell smoldering underneath.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 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
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
-
The scale of this year’s snowfall temporarily closed Hokkaido’s main airport last week, stranding hundreds of passengers, while snarling other travel, delaying train services and forcing the closure of some highways.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Charlotte-area communities got 6 to 12 inches of snow over the weekend, closing schools, snarling traffic and shutting down public transit.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That was seen as a fireball blazing across the sky in broad daylight by dozens of witnesses.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Other shows such as Julia and Scandal broke barriers, ushering in new ideas and blazing trails.—
Starr Rocque,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
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
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It’s then flaked into a pot of steaming pasta and spinach and tossed with a couldn’t-be-quicker cream sauce.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Can drinking a cup of steaming hot water improve your digestion and keep things moving along in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract?—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Outside,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Investigators later realized the flaming vehicle was registered to Lovely's ex, according to the complaint.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Accompanied by ringing bells, ethereal music and chanting hymns, the priests gracefully moved their arms in unison, holding up various flaming brass lamps during the 45-minute serene and powerful ritual.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the spring of 2024, Flynn McGuire started to notice glowing references online to an unapproved drug that proponents claimed could help the body heal more quickly.—
Sara Talpos — Undark,
STAT,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The film has a brutal 6% critic score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is at a glowing 99%.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Officials remind visitors that these goats are working professionals, not petting zoo pals, but snapping photos from a distance is encouraged.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
But as far as sales are concerned, that stuff hasn’t stopped Subaru fans from snapping these things up left and right.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smoldering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smoldering. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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