1
as in strangled
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 stifled
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 whipped
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
1
as in choked
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in muted
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothered
Verb
-
Israel also says its large-scale airstrikes and ground operations in Lebanon have strangled Hezbollah, cutting off Iran's access to what was once a formidable political and militant force on Israel's northern border.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
23 Dec. 2024 -
Several hours later, she was found dead in her own home – bludgeoned and strangled.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
21 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The duo along with Josh Hart stifled the Thunder, holding them to 8-of-21 shooting in the second quarter.—
James L. Edwards III,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
When his scoring is stifled, Edwards will often lose focus in other areas.—
Jon Krawczynski,
The Athletic,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
In at least four of the heists, the thieves threatened their victim with a gun; one victim was pistol whipped, cops said.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
23 Dec. 2024
-
At the final whistle, James ran onto the field and whipped a towel through the air.—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The halter neckline, open back, and flowing fabric give it a breezy, resort-ready vibe—especially in the muted sage green.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
29 June 2025
-
Natural light pours in through the windows, highlighting the soft textures and muted palette.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
At one point, while being choked from behind, the 102-pound, 5-foot-tall 18-year-old managed to fully flip one of her attackers over, with the suspect landing on the concrete ground.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
-
In February, a female officer was choked, punched, and kicked in the face and body by an inmate with a face covering.—
Peter Cordi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Caspar suppressed his urge to respond.—
Brandon Taylor,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Ukrainians are uncovering their country’s culinary history – and how its distinctive features were suppressed by the authorities during Soviet rule.—
Howard LaFranchi,
The Christian Science Monitor,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
His family later held a private funeral, and he was buried on June 8, 2018, at the Skogskyrkogården cemetery in Stockholm.—
Jenzia Burgos,
StyleCaster,
31 Dec. 2024
-
In related news, in July, forensic scientists successfully used descendant DNA to identify a victim of the 1921 Tulsa massacre in Oklahoma City, buried in a mass grave containing more than a hundred victims.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The inference here is that women’s speech is coded as weak and men’s, the direct opposite.—
Megan C. Reynolds,
Time,
27 June 2025
-
Total textile and apparel exports declined from $44.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to $35.8 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending March 31), due to weak global demand and elevated production costs.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
27 June 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Smothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothered. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share