1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
children should never play inside discarded appliances because they could become trapped and smother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
he quickly smothered his inappropriate laughter at the funeral ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bury
to defeat by a large margin
the soccer team smothered their first few opponents in the championships, but lost narrowly in the final round
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smother
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
In the West, a smothering heat dome moved east after almost two weeks of record March temperatures; four spots in Arizona and California hit 112 degrees, and dozens of locations set heat records all the way to Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Jan. 2026
When Chelsea try to move through the centre, Sunderland smother it and have the chance to counter — but show crucial patience.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
But UConn’s smothering defense forced five turnovers against the junior guard and limited the rest of her team to just 30 points.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
In the West, a smothering heat dome moved east after almost two weeks of record March temperatures; four spots in Arizona and California hit 112 degrees, and dozens of locations set heat records all the way to Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
The Halekulani's Honey & Coral Project addresses Okinawa’s crippling red soil erosion – runoff that smothers reefs – by stabilizing the soil with vegetation.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Jan. 2026
When Chelsea try to move through the centre, Sunderland smother it and have the chance to counter — but show crucial patience.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
-
The following month, a hit squad, reportedly acting on bin Salman’s orders, strangled Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist who had been critical of the regime, and used a bone saw to dismember his corpse.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Invasive vines like Virginia creeper, English ivy, and buckthorn can strangle trees, for example, and some aggressive trees may spread via underground suckers and roots.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Academic journals struggled to put out issues, stifled by high printing costs and staff layoffs, scrounging for enough articles to fill their pages and paying subscribers to read them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the ’90s, the peninsula was taken over by a string of summer-only nightclubs, with little regard for the natural surroundings or the ancient cemetery buried in the pine forest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
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Eighty minutes in, yellow card already in his pocket and a one-game suspension already looming, Wilfried Zaha collected a Pep Biel pass in stride and buried it into the far corner.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The sight of a heated and jet-equipped hydrotherapy pool greets you at check in, and is flanked by relaxation day beds, a sauna, and a steam room.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Start by steam-cleaning the frame of the window, then wipe away the grime with a microfiber cloth.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some victims were physically assaulted, including one person who was choked to the point of nearly losing consciousness, according to court documents.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Iran controls the Straits of Hormuz, trade — especially in vital oil — is choked, and the price of gas at the pump already exceeds $4 a gallon.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ukraine's air force, meanwhile, said its forces faced 6,462 Russian drones and 138 missiles of various types across the course of the month, of which 5,833 drones and 102 missiles -- around 90% of drones and just under 74% of missiles -- were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Declining immigration is constraining labor supply, higher productivity is suppressing labor demand, business activity captured by our Texas Business Outlook Surveys recently moderated, and geopolitical uncertainty is elevated.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Neuer helped Freiburg build the 2-0 lead that Bayern had to overcome.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Denver overcame 30 points from Toumani Camara, who hit eight of the Blazers' franchise-record 25 3-pointers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The cushions are crafted with a blend of polyester and cotton, and have a 3-inch depth that offers a cloud-like feel to keep you or guests comfortable for hours on end.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The low cloud ceiling made rotary-wing insertion difficult.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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