1
as in choked
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in muted
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Dissimilar Words
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
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 buried
to defeat by a large margin
the soccer team smothered their first few opponents in the championships, but lost narrowly in the final round
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smothered
Pableaux Johnson, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
The smothered steak biscuit is available to order in-store and online through January 2026, a Bojangles spokesperson told CharlotteFive.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
Katie Landeck, The Providence Journal, 25 Jan. 2026
Golden, crispy, and smothered in creamy gravy, this Southern staple is a must for winter.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
And in Chang's brave and patriotic mother, readers may also perceive a broader metaphor for China writ large, a country that has been smothered and surveilled by a resurgent party state under its top leader, Xi Jinping.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
But a big-money move to European giant Barcelona smothered him in weighty expectations and he was hamstrung with a plethora of injuries.
—Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Two weeks ago, the Seahawks smothered the Niners in Santa Clara, 13-3.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
While Creighton’s shooters were smothered, UConn’s guards began to heat up late in the quarter using an undersized lineup with Strong at center.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Featuring handheld camerawork and frequent close-ups, these early works evoke the quasi-improvisational style of John Cassavetes smothered in claustrophobia.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The matrilineal passage of power—made known by crying tears of blood—has been smothered and controlled by men, but thanks to their new abilities, the twins escape their mother and her malicious husband.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Robust, malty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, this smothered cabbage recipe will warm your soul and delight your tastebuds.
—Pableaux Johnson, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
The smothered steak biscuit is available to order in-store and online through January 2026, a Bojangles spokesperson told CharlotteFive.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
The potential for that was uncertain as heavy snow smothered local streets.
—Katie Landeck, The Providence Journal, 25 Jan. 2026
Golden, crispy, and smothered in creamy gravy, this Southern staple is a must for winter.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
And in Chang's brave and patriotic mother, readers may also perceive a broader metaphor for China writ large, a country that has been smothered and surveilled by a resurgent party state under its top leader, Xi Jinping.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
But a big-money move to European giant Barcelona smothered him in weighty expectations and he was hamstrung with a plethora of injuries.
—Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Two weeks ago, the Seahawks smothered the Niners in Santa Clara, 13-3.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
While Creighton’s shooters were smothered, UConn’s guards began to heat up late in the quarter using an undersized lineup with Strong at center.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Featuring handheld camerawork and frequent close-ups, these early works evoke the quasi-improvisational style of John Cassavetes smothered in claustrophobia.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The matrilineal passage of power—made known by crying tears of blood—has been smothered and controlled by men, but thanks to their new abilities, the twins escape their mother and her malicious husband.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothered
Adjective
-
While the would-be leaders of France and Germany issued sharp rebukes to Trump, the opposition in central and eastern Europe was more muted.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Henson’s makeup and hair complemented the theatricality of her attire, with her hair tossed in a high bun and the actress’ makeup featuring dramatic eyes and a muted lip.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Somewhere along the way, the private jet goes down and everybody dies — in excessively painful ways, as Raimi gleefully shows them being sucked out of the plane and strangled by their own neckties — except for Linda and Bradley.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Arrest warrants allege Jones stabbed his grandfather multiple times in the torso and neck and strangled his grandmother, cutting off her airway and blood flow.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Arsenal have recently looked stifled in a way that the creative department of a title-challenging team, high on its own output, should not.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Minnesota got power play goals from Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek and a shorthanded goal from Matt Boldy, but was stifled defensively much of the night, most notably at even strength.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cosey has welcomed archaeological teams from Mississippi State University to her property, digging for the stories buried beneath the topsoil.—
Joe Sills,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Julian Strawther buried the Nuggets’ 10th 3-pointer of the half, and by intermission the Nets trailed 64-49.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Crackle, fizz, pop, extinguished.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
With all these no-shows this year, shouldn’t City Hall reach out in the spirit of bipartisanship and extend an invite to the extinguished solon Tran?—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump has directed his ire toward the Department of Labor agency ever since former Commissioner Erika McEntarfer authorized the release of a weak jobs report last summer.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Procedures harden, decision paths lengthen, and people wait for permission rather than acting on weak signals from the environment.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On the day Ujlaky vanished, prosecutors alleged Dickey choked her by wrapping a ligature around her neck before raping her and slashing her throat, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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The petition, which was granted by a federal judge, cites reports alleging that guards at the facility choked and asphyxiated Campos.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At home, the Guard’s Basij volunteer arm brutally suppressed recent nationwide protests, establishing itself as the theocracy’s primary tool for squashing dissent.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This led organically to feelings of love for one’s Black nannies and friendship with the children of your Black live-in maids, but this warmth had to be suppressed.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothered. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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