1
as in choked
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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
Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
Smolen scrambled and threw a high pass into the end zone, where Thompson was smothered by three defenders.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
But this defense smothered Atlanta and especially star running back Bijan Robinson.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
These downhome potatoes earn their Western stripes by sizzling in bacon grease before getting smothered with barbecue sauce, cheese, peppers, and plenty of crispy bacon.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Over time, it was smothered by sand brought in to replenish the beach.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
There’s no lawn to be smothered by two feet of piled up, soaking wet winter leaves.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Oct. 2025
Grass doesn’t like being smothered.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2025
The Sharks are now in their 34th season, and Tuesday’s game marked just the fourth time they’ve been held without a shot in a period as they were smothered by the tight-checking Hurricanes.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
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
Etouffees, stewy mixtures served over rice whose name is derived from the French word for smothered.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
Smolen scrambled and threw a high pass into the end zone, where Thompson was smothered by three defenders.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
But this defense smothered Atlanta and especially star running back Bijan Robinson.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
These downhome potatoes earn their Western stripes by sizzling in bacon grease before getting smothered with barbecue sauce, cheese, peppers, and plenty of crispy bacon.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Over time, it was smothered by sand brought in to replenish the beach.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
There’s no lawn to be smothered by two feet of piled up, soaking wet winter leaves.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Oct. 2025
Grass doesn’t like being smothered.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2025
The Sharks are now in their 34th season, and Tuesday’s game marked just the fourth time they’ve been held without a shot in a period as they were smothered by the tight-checking Hurricanes.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothered
Adjective
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That snare sound is as instantly identifiable as Miles Davis’s muted horn or Eddie Van Halen’s pyrotechnic neck tapping.—
John Lingan,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
With an understated mix of blue and yellow tones that provide warmth but still feel muted.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Clancy allegedly strangled her three children and then tried to kill herself by jumping out a window in 2023, leaving her paralyzed from the sternum down.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
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Stefon Diggs allegedly strangled his female chef over money earlier this month.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But lately teams have stacked the box and stifled the run against Carolina.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Jan. 2026
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The deal was completed as the Bay Area hotel market battles against a wave of loan defaults, plunging prices and property foreclosures that have stifled purchasing activity and new development.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rescue workers searched on Friday for dozens of people buried under a mountain of garbage that collapsed at a landfill in the central Philippines, killing at least one.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Prince, who buried her 700th career point in the fourth quarter, scored 15 of her points in the second half after holding off a late surge from the Hoosiers (11-6, 0-5 Big Ten) in the third quarter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 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
-
New orders contracted for a fourth month and export bookings remained weak, based on the ISM data.—
Reade Pickert Bloomberg,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
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Getting too little of either can lead to weak, brittle bones, and too much can also cause problems (like kidney stones or nausea).—
T'Keyah Bazin,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In 2022, four women choked to death on the rice cakes and 12 other people were hospitalized.—
Stephen Smith,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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The woman, in her 80s, choked on daifuku — mochi filled with sweet bean paste — at her home in Minato Ward just after midnight on New Year’s Day and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fresh evidence of how internal dissent was suppressed for the sake of diplomatic relationships exposes a broader crisis of impunity for crimes committed against journalists, and the failure of states to hold other states accountable.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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This may have resulted in cooling that had until now suppressed the sublimation of water ice to steam.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothered. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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