variants
or smoulders
1
as in snarls
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 blazes
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 smolders
Neighbors living near the Ontario warehouse say Abdulkarim should face more than arson charges, as equipment still smolders at the site and questionable air quality lingers after last week's massive blaze, covering an area the size of 21 football fields.
—
Austin Turner, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Throughout the compilation of clips, Kristy smiles and smolders in the mirror while using a bottle of the luxury brand's Libre Berry Crush perfume.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Blood orange and saffron ignite the air, myrrh smolders beneath, and the woods hum with market heat.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Austin Turner, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Throughout the compilation of clips, Kristy smiles and smolders in the mirror while using a bottle of the luxury brand's Libre Berry Crush perfume.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Blood orange and saffron ignite the air, myrrh smolders beneath, and the woods hum with market heat.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolders
Verb
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Security snarls The TSA PreCheck line at terminal B in LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on March 27, 2026.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
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Beyond the red tape that snarls any new apartment, condominiums confront an additional hurdle.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fewer, but more ‘devastating’ blazes That the world suffered fewer acres torched by wildfires in 2025 likely comes as little relief to the countries and cities that battled the infernos last year.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
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That’s the two-seamer that kind of blazes a trail in.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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During that time, the steak essentially steams.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
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This all comes as the legal fight over the audit steams ahead, over 15 months after 72% of the state signed off on the ballot measure.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Concentration burns glucose, decision-making depletes mental energy reserves, and by mid-afternoon, the prefrontal cortex is operating at a fraction of its morning capacity.—
William Jones
June 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
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The set comes with 35 sticks, each of which burns for up to 25 minutes, and a ceramic incense holder.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Set in 1986, the story follows two brothers, Irwin and Gary Pearl, whose get-rich scheme to help clean up the Gowanus Canal ends in disaster after Irwin (Teller), a nebbish family man, angers Russian mobsters by unwittingly witnessing their criminal activity.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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LaCava said the change seems like another city policy that angers many residents without major impact.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As Seth seethes about his separation from his home country (and the family fortune), Arias interweaves a backstory involving assassination, undisclosed parentage and (as the title suggests) the perilous creatures slithering across the landscape.—
Michael Schaub,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Trump seethes with hatred and erupts in volcanic fury to denounce, demonize, disparage and threaten anyone who refuses to support his increasingly irrational and harmful proposals and actions.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The rich color palette brings warmth and depth, while the fluid scarf silhouette adds an effortless elegance that practically glows on the dance floor.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
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In Los Angeles, Jennifer Lopez glows in a green gown at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, while Jean Smart and Kaitlin Olson are a couple of cutie costars at the Hacks Season 5 FYC Event.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Verb
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After Laura snaps one day and threatens to quit after Souria goes too far with her insults, the power shifts abruptly.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 May 2026
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From the next room, Beckham’s longtime creative director watches the playback on her monitor and snaps into action.—
Maneet Ahuja,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smolders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolders. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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