as in suffocating
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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
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Recent Examples of smothering
Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
Daniels’ game had hit another level, not just because of smothering defense but also because of an advanced offensive repertoire, which those around him attributed more to the mind than the body.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Last January, fires were raging across Los Angeles, smothering some 20 million people across the region in toxic smoke and ash.
—Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
Mired by the Texans’ smothering defense, Rodgers completed 17-of-33 passes for 146 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception and two fumbles.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Cathedral Catholic Girls soccer Collecting two goals and two assists while playing smothering defense, the senior led the Dons to a 2-0-1 record in the Excalibur Tournament, downing Huntington Beach Edison 1-0 in the finale.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
The Jaguars are firmly in the conversation with Liam Coen’s offense running on nitromethane and a defense smothering running games.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 Dec. 2025
But as increasingly smothering noise greets images of guns and stilettos, the lacerating beats of the late producer Sophie and the devious robotics of mecha anime jump out as inspirations.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Brett Gelman, as the zany Murray, became a fan-favorite recurring character, while Cara Buono continued her role as Mike Wheeler's likable but smothering mom, Karen Wheeler.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
With Stalin’s large standing army smothering half of Europe, and his fledgling nuclear arsenal extending Moscow’s ambitions overseas, America had to scramble.
—Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
Daniels’ game had hit another level, not just because of smothering defense but also because of an advanced offensive repertoire, which those around him attributed more to the mind than the body.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Last January, fires were raging across Los Angeles, smothering some 20 million people across the region in toxic smoke and ash.
—Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
Mired by the Texans’ smothering defense, Rodgers completed 17-of-33 passes for 146 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception and two fumbles.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Cathedral Catholic Girls soccer Collecting two goals and two assists while playing smothering defense, the senior led the Dons to a 2-0-1 record in the Excalibur Tournament, downing Huntington Beach Edison 1-0 in the finale.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
The Jaguars are firmly in the conversation with Liam Coen’s offense running on nitromethane and a defense smothering running games.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 Dec. 2025
But as increasingly smothering noise greets images of guns and stilettos, the lacerating beats of the late producer Sophie and the devious robotics of mecha anime jump out as inspirations.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Brett Gelman, as the zany Murray, became a fan-favorite recurring character, while Cara Buono continued her role as Mike Wheeler's likable but smothering mom, Karen Wheeler.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
Adjective
-
After the 49ers’ explosive offense was dominated by Seattle in Week 18, what buttons can coach Kyle Shanahan press to create some offense against a suffocating Seahawks defense?—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
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Those laughs are balanced with real world issues, and a longing for these gentlewomen locked into the suffocating zeitgeist of early 1800s British Regency.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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His criminal history included convictions for robbery, kidnapping and attempting to kill a corrections officer by strangling him.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The serial killers, later revealed to be cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, were accused of kidnapping, raping and strangling 10 women between October 1977 and February 1978.—
Kelsey Lentz,
PEOPLE,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In New York, a broader proposal to ban masks on the subway drew criticism about stifling protests.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Then, on the other end, the Longhorns' stifling defense often caused turnovers, forcing the Gamecocks to look for their third or fourth option on the floor.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Late in the mess that was the Rams’ final game of the season, Sean McVay was seen frustratingly burying his face in his play card.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Drake Powell followed by scoring six straight points himself, burying a 3 over Jaylen Brown before finishing a tough fadeaway in the lane plus the foul.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Women were crucial participants in the 1979 revolution that overthrew the last Shah (king) of Iran and his oppressive rule.—
Ellie Austin,
Fortune,
21 Jan. 2026
-
When you’re surrounded by lush green leaves and bathed in natural light, winter feels less oppressive.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Remember that smaller caps are a choking hazard.—
Chris Baskind,
Treehugger,
20 Jan. 2026
-
My kids are past the concerns about choking and drowning (although these hazards also exist for adults).—
Rahul Jandial,
Parents,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The reduction in volatiles would limit volcanism by suppressing the formation of magma, providing a strong explanation for why the lunar far side contains so few maria.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Different weight loss methods Wave is taking a different approach to weight loss, targeting how the body burns fat rather than suppressing appetite.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This classic ranchera song was originally released in 1963 and is a metaphor for overcoming life’s difficult moments.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The first query was about injuries, a season-long theme both in terms of hard luck and overcoming adversity in a 13-6 season that included a wild-card playoff win.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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