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
Relevance
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
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
Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Philips slid across the crease to smother a one-timer by Grace Zumwinkle from the left-wing circle early in the power play.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 25 May 2025
Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
At Ponty Bistro, the lamb had a nice char on the outside, and, like the poisson yassa, was smothered in sauce.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
Victor used flags and banners meant to bring awareness to the hostages to smother flames that had consumed another marcher.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Philips slid across the crease to smother a one-timer by Grace Zumwinkle from the left-wing circle early in the power play.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 25 May 2025
Noun
Everyone in Cincinnati is suffering in the smothering heat and humidity this week.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
At Ponty Bistro, the lamb had a nice char on the outside, and, like the poisson yassa, was smothered in sauce.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
-
Menzies was convicted of the 1986 murder of 26-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was kidnapped, robbed, strangled, and found tied to a tree with her throat slit.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
-
Most of the victims were strangled or asphyxiated, and Gacy buried 26 of the bodies in the crawl space beneath his home; others were found in Chicago waterways, per NPR.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
Leave behind New York’s stifling policies and discover a state where your ambition can soar.—
Mike Dunleavy,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
-
While luck will favor some and stifle others, here are a few tips on how join the first group: Be Loyal: Elite status with an airline can work wonders.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Meanwhile, every attempt to create ethical walls and accountability at PURA have been quietly buried by those who benefit from the dysfunction.—
Timothy M. Herbst,
Hartford Courant,
6 July 2025
-
Where power lines are buried, flooding can also cause issues.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Two games later, Higashioka was packing up his locker and heading into free agency on the steam of a career-high 17 homers.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 July 2025
-
Throughout the movie, interspersed with shots of an exasperated Silverstone fending off her younger lover’s calls to her office and strutting through New York City streets in sky-high stilettos, are shots of Silverstone in gym clothes boxing with a personal trainer to blow off steam.—
Mara Santilli,
Flow Space,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
For more than a minute, audio captures the sounds of a struggle: grunting, choking.—
Miguel Torres,
AZCentral.com,
3 July 2025
-
As a result, millions more children and vulnerable people will be forced to choke on toxic fumes while manufacturing executives pour more money into dying steel plants.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
That same resolution created Palestine, which Israel has refused to recognize and has fought to suppress ever since.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
-
The building’s sprinkler system suppressed the flames before firefighters completed their operations, bringing the fire under control in under 30 minutes, officials said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
There can be ways to overcome the objections of the people who are concerned that new technology will make their jobs obsolete.—
Edward Segal,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
-
Bravely overcoming one small fear gives you the courage to take on the next.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
There are both federal regulations and state regulations for cloud seeding and other forms of weather modification.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
12 July 2025
-
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share