smothered 1 of 2

smothered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of smother
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
3

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 smothered
Adjective
Outside of smothered biscuit sandwiches, District Biskuits also sells mac and cheese, chicken tenders with various dipping sauces, waffle fries and other sides. Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026 Breakfast is a treat, with made-from-scratch English muffins and housemade jams, plus heartier items like a smothered breakfast burrito. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 Otherwise, Rhoda picks the red rice; Laurence and Oscar pick the hoppin’ John; Anthony and Brittany pick collard greens; Duyen and Brandon pick the smothered cabbage; Justin and Sherry pick potato salad; and Jonathan and Jennifer pick the hoecakes. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026 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
Glazed baby back ribs, satisfyingly sticky and spiced with gochujang, come smothered with melting mozzarella for crazy long cheese pulls on Chicago-style, falling-off-the-bone pork. Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 Fans of everything smothered, covered, and chunked in metro Atlanta have the chance to try out a potentially new item on Waffle House's menu. Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 The students were smart, curious and desperate to escape a communist system that had smothered their families’ ambitions for decades. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 Soldiers marched the victims to bomb craters at Kamianets-Podilskyi and turned machine guns on them; they were either shot or smothered. Usa Today, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Golden State’s defense smothered the Los Angeles Sparks for much of the 84-78 victory, their fourth in a row to sweep a two-game trip. Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. Tonya Mosley, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026 Those findings, the warrant states, suggested Aria died of asphyxiation and was likely smothered before being placed in the pool. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026 An Enchirito is made with a warm flour tortilla filled with seasoned beef, refried beans and diced onions and is smothered in red sauce and melted shredded cheddar cheese. Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothered
Adjective
  • However, that deal fell apart after the US unleashed a fresh wave of attacks on Iran in mid-July, following Iranian strikes on vessels in the choked Strait of Hormuz.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • San Franciscans who think Muni buses are always packed, or prone to crawl along choked streets, may find their views validated in a new slide presentation released by the Municipal Transportation Agency.
    Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Christine Jahan, the founder of Christine Jahan Designs, recommends sticking to soft, muted tones.
    Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Wall Street is one constituency that’s been relatively muted on the drama.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Lindsay Clancy, 35, faces three counts of first-degree murder after her three children, Cora, Dawson and Callan – all under 6 years old – were found strangled to death in the family's Duxbury home in 2023.
    Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This has strangled Iran’s cashflow and closed the strait to Iranian maritime trade.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Washington also seemed to open up the playbook, with downfield passing concepts that confused Miami defensive backs and pressure packages that stifled the Dolphins offensive line.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Raman asserted that there have been only three Inside Safe operations in her district and that her committee has been stifled by inaction from the mayor.
    Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Valentine went down early in camp with a hamstring injury, was replaced by Cisse and has been buried since.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • These included a child buried face down, a skeleton positioned as in a crucifixion, graves with stones placed around the skull as if to prevent biting or movement, as well as other graves with sickles and padlocks.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • By the time volunteer firefighters from nearby Cachagua arrived, McCord estimated that the fire was about 70% extinguished.
    Lucy Hodgman, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
  • That conditional pick, acquired in August’s salary dump of Haywood Highsmith, effectively has become extinguished.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Commerce Department released a report Friday showing weak retail sales in July.
    CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Following his coach and uncle Toni’s advice, Nadal finally beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2008, breaking Federer’s Open-Era-record five-year winning streak on grass, by playing high balls to Federer’s back hand, his weak point.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Authorities that same year recovered the body of a man who reportedly drowned in 2002, another man who drowned in 1974, and the body of a man who died of as-yet-undetermined causes after disappearing in 1998.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The remains of another drowning victim, Donald Smith, who was believed to have drowned in 1974, were found in October 2022.
    Mark Osborne, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Smothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothered. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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