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smothering 1 of 2

adjective

as in suffocating

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smothering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of smother
1
as in strangling
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifling
to refrain from openly showing or uttering he quickly smothered his inappropriate laughter at the funeral ceremony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in burying
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

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 smothering
Verb
The Trojans posted their first shutout since 2024, smothering the Bulldogs with two safeties, four sacks and long stretches without yielding a yard, first down or rhythm. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 The scrutiny at the club is like no other, the media attention can be smothering and the level expected from fans is so high. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 This is typically done with a sod cutter, by smothering with cardboard or plastic, or with a nonselective herbicide. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Aug. 2026 In June, he is accused of smothering a 1-month-old kitten with a rag soaked in bleach. — Steven Yablonski, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026 Forest fires on Sumatra and Borneo islands often break out during dry spells, smothering parts of nearby Singapore and Malaysia in haze. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Argentina battled Spain’s smothering defense, but Messi was limited to just 15 touches during the first half, according to ESPN. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026 The wildfires have also generated smothering smoke clouds across Canadian and US cities while inflicting hazardous air pollution upon more than 100 million people. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026 Until that breathtaking final 15 minutes, Egypt largely nullified this strategy by packing the centre themselves and smothering those central spaces. — Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
  1. suffocating
  2. strangling
  3. stifling
  4. burying
  5. oppressive
  6. choking
  7. suppressing
  8. overcoming
Adjective
  • The Valkyries won their third straight game, defeating the Sparks 78-58 behind a suffocating defensive performance.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
  • The Fleet played a suffocating style of hockey, with a strong forecheck and the ability to wear down opponents with relentless offensive-zone pressure.
    — Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of suffocating
Verb
  • After fatally strangling the children, Clancy attempted suicide by cutting her wrists and jumping out of a second-story window.
    — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Jurors continue to speak out in the days after a mistrial was declared for Massachusetts mom Lindsay Clancy in the strangling deaths of her three children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of strangling
Verb
  • After that, the Lake Nona defense cranked up the heat – pressuring both Cruz James and Joe Aicher and stifling running back Jaelyn Powell for the rest of the game.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
  • On paper, this sounds great, as being untethered from the restraints and stifling confines of physical cords frees you up to live a more fulfilled digital life.
    — William Jones, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of stifling
Verb
  • Mexican cartels began using explosives more extensively about five years ago, dropping them from drones to attack security forces or rival groups and burying explosive devices in the ground to defend or control territory.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Families are burying victims while relatives of the missing wait for answers, as authorities detain the captain, crew and port officials in a widening probe into the disaster’s cause.
    — Andrew Wilks, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of burying
Adjective
  • Amid an oppressive stretch of extreme heat and Florida-esque humidity that has been punishing much of California, consider, for a moment, the Ice Age.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Broncos also have a truly oppressive defense, and hit hard enough to turn the Chiefs’ fragile receivers into dust.
    — J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Verb
  • The strait has become an increasingly important route for Saudi oil since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, choking Gulf exports.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Many squish toys rely on a special filling to get that enjoyable texture, but this filling can sometimes contain unsafe chemicals or choking hazards.
    — Parents, Parents, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of choking
Verb
  • Sally’s Reckoning With Her Magic Much of the sequel’s emotional arc, per Hoffman, belongs to Sally finally making peace with the very power she’s spent decades suppressing.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The party is often lauded for steering the tiny nation toward economic prosperity but has also been criticized for suppressing dissent.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of suppressing
Verb
  • This design continually reflects the laser inside the stream via total internal reflection, overcoming the need for focal-point or Rayleigh-length adjustments.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Augusto, Marrero, Hernández and countless others have little choice but to figure things out which, in Cuban parlance, means overcoming whatever obstacle is placed in their way.
    — Juan Carlos López, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of overcoming

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Cite this Entry

“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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