smother 1 of 2

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

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2
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smother

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of smother
Verb
This method helps smother developing weeds, depriving them of sunlight and the water needed to survive. Dee Dee Kerscher, Oc Register, 20 June 2025 These Asian species spread very easily to natural areas, where their vigorous growth smothers native plants. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
Noun
Liam Berlien was credited with smothering the ball, giving his team a first down at the East Ridge 7-yard line. Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 27 Sep. 2025 In Philadelphia, they are traditionally served with ribeye steak, smothered with provolone or Cheez-Whiz in a white bun. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
  • He was sentenced to die in 1983 for raping and strangling a woman in Newberry County and stealing her jewelry, according to court records.
    Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
  • In March 1977, Rader strangled Shirley Vian, followed by Nancy Fox that December.
    Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both wins have come thanks to a stifling run defense and, conversely, an explosive run offense furnished by the emergence of Rico Dowdle.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The Indians started to put together another seemingly productive drive until a fumble stifled the plans, and Lowell took over in Billerica territory.
    Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the end, Kate convinces the prime minister to bury both the sub and the Poseidon in concrete on the ocean floor, instead of it getting taken away.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • To detect these elusive particles, scientists are working to build enormous instruments (neutrino observatories) in the quietest environments possible, such as deep underwater or buried in ice.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Before long, Norm had a crew — The Invisibles— a rowdy group of personified conditions who blow off steam at a biker bar.
    David Soren, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Many rugs require special care, which means renting a steam cleaner or making a trip to the professional rug cleaner.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the quiet of the Sabbath morning when all the neighborhood was wrapped in slumber, some dastardly degenerate crept into the room, choked her to death, assaulted her criminally and left her bruised and bleeding body lying on the bed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
  • In Lansing, Michigan, a group of friends around a late-night campfire spotted another raccoon in distress — this one choking.
    Ronnie Li, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Secret Commonwealth is the condemnation of a world where imagination—not making things up, but a way of seeing, understanding, feeling the world—is suppressed by the dual forces of cold rationality and religious fundamentalisms that breed authoritarianism.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
  • That power is often used to unfairly influence elections through massive campaign donations, to interfere with independent journalism by buying media outlets, and to suppress competition in markets.
    Scott Ellis, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Kate Schneider and Caroline Handwerk each scored in the third quarter to separate from a halftime draw, finally overcoming a standout job from Bulldogs goalie Shealyn Murphy (15 saves).
    Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The Cowboys’ defense has been so bad, not even elite quarterback play has been able to overcome it consistently.
    Mike Sando, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing arm of the retailing giant, experienced a massive outage in the wee hours of Monday that knocked out what felt like everything.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
  • By deploying solvers on scalable cloud platforms, firms avoid the need for expensive local hardware, lowering barriers for CAE adoption among businesses.
    Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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