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
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
The military's post included video, which showed a strike on a boat, which appeared to break into two smoldering pieces.
—CBS News, 27 May 2026
This transfer station caught fire a few years ago, smoldering for nearly two weeks and releasing toxic fumes into the air.
—Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 27 May 2026
The nose presents an assertive mix of bonfire smoke, iodine, and smoldering oak, alongside vanilla, toffee, and ripe tropical fruit.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Just like the rest of us, an NFL locker room has smoldering tensions that are ready to explode.
—Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Remus graced the cover of Time magazine with a smoldering gaze.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Either way, the outbreak had been smoldering for some time before the cause of the rising tide of illness was deemed to be caused by Ebola.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 17 May 2026
Deven Kolluri plays Pontius Pilate as a smooth, smoldering fashion plate.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Adjective
Casting two of the most smoldering contemporary actors on the planet clearly stacks the deck, and carries on the long tradition of pairing a dashing figure of brooding handsomeness (Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes) with a breathless screen beauty (Merle Oberon, Juliette Binoche).
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
There’s no such thing as casual under this Water sign’s smoldering gaze, and with Luna immediately clashing with both Mars in Taurus and Pluto retrograde in Aquarius, tensions could escalate quickly if frustrations, insecurities or power struggles have been simmering beneath the surface.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
The military's post included video, which showed a strike on a boat, which appeared to break into two smoldering pieces.
—CBS News, 27 May 2026
This transfer station caught fire a few years ago, smoldering for nearly two weeks and releasing toxic fumes into the air.
—Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 27 May 2026
The nose presents an assertive mix of bonfire smoke, iodine, and smoldering oak, alongside vanilla, toffee, and ripe tropical fruit.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Just like the rest of us, an NFL locker room has smoldering tensions that are ready to explode.
—Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Remus graced the cover of Time magazine with a smoldering gaze.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Either way, the outbreak had been smoldering for some time before the cause of the rising tide of illness was deemed to be caused by Ebola.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 17 May 2026
Deven Kolluri plays Pontius Pilate as a smooth, smoldering fashion plate.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
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
-
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
-
Ukrainian drones now pummel industrial targets across Russia nightly, shutting down oil refineries, snarling logistics, and forcing airports to close for days at a time.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
-
Laurie plays the snarling, villainous Richard Roper in the BBC and Prime Video’s big-budget adaptation of le Carré’s The Night Manager.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Videos published online and geolocated by NBC News showed a blazing fire inside the airport, surrounded by debris and heavy smoke as people ran for cover.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Epstein and his team went after Reiter with guns blazing.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
4 June 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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Details and design reflect that philosophy, from the wood fire burning in reception and the garden where your dinner grows to the private onsen steaming quietly while snow falls just feet away.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 May 2026
-
By the time engineers realized the issue was a systemic structural fault across the entire fleet, the cargo ship was already halfway across the Atlantic, steaming toward Brazil.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Men were in sinking ships, and their only choice was to jump into a flaming ocean.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
Cope and Cage and FTR battled in a brutal match that saw ladders, tools and even a flaming table be used.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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While Pritzker has higher approval ratings than Johnson, neither politician is getting glowing reviews from city or state residents.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
Many fans call this one of the most underrated comedies out there, and Season 2 is getting glowing reviews once again.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The Giants won for just the second time in nine games while snapping Milwaukee's three-game win streak.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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The catch is that your phone has to serve your observation rather than replace it—snapping a photo can sharpen your attention and memory of the moment later on, but be intentional about focusing on the sky and not your screen.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smoldering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smoldering. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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