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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in suffocating
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smothering
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Liam Berlien was credited with smothering the ball, giving his team a first down at the East Ridge 7-yard line.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 27 Sep. 2025
Both of the Ichabods’ touchdowns in this game came on screen passes, which was easily the most effective way Washburn attacked an otherwise smothering defense.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
An offseason of change came to fruition under the lights at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night, with first-year head coach Dowell Loggains’ Appalachian State Mountaineers smothering the Charlotte 49ers from start to finish, grabbing a 34-11 season-opening victory.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Aug. 2025
Naomi is a textbook Jewish mother, nagging and cajoling and smothering her children with logorrheic abandon.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
Led by Parker, Allen has star power and depth reminiscent of the smothering 2017 to 2019 units the allowed less than 290 yards per game.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Tight end Dalton Kincaid continues to be a steady target in the middle of the field, and the Buffalo defense has been just as dominant, smothering passing attacks and forcing timely turnovers.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Liam Berlien was credited with smothering the ball, giving his team a first down at the East Ridge 7-yard line.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 27 Sep. 2025
Both of the Ichabods’ touchdowns in this game came on screen passes, which was easily the most effective way Washburn attacked an otherwise smothering defense.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
An offseason of change came to fruition under the lights at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night, with first-year head coach Dowell Loggains’ Appalachian State Mountaineers smothering the Charlotte 49ers from start to finish, grabbing a 34-11 season-opening victory.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Aug. 2025
Naomi is a textbook Jewish mother, nagging and cajoling and smothering her children with logorrheic abandon.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
Led by Parker, Allen has star power and depth reminiscent of the smothering 2017 to 2019 units the allowed less than 290 yards per game.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
Verb
-
In other parts of the world, political violence grips countries after every change in leadership, strangling their nation, and putting lives at risk every day.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
He is accused of also routinely strangling her during assaults.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Justice Department contends a breakup would be the most effective and quickest way to undercut a monopoly that has been stifling competition and innovation for years.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
-
In junior tournaments, there can be stifling pressure on kids as young as 8.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Mountain View Fire Protection District and Boulder County sheriff’s deputies responded when neighbors reported the fire, and the cult members extinguished the blaze by burying it with dirt.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
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Goldberg stared blankly into the camera before fully burying her head in her arms.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For Perrie Edwards, the studio can be both a sanctuary and a suffocating cocoon.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Their pass rush is suffocating and multi-faceted — Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard alone might be dominant enough to make Minnesota a top-10 defense in spite of a less talented secondary.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Foreign material in food products presents health risks, including choking, damage to teeth and digestive tract injury.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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Baltimore led Buffalo by 15 points with four minutes to go Sunday night before choking away a 41-40 loss in what became an instant classic.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Defensively, Matt Roy, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Martin Fehervary all excel at suppressing chances, complementing the team’s two star defenders well.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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China has manipulated the market by suppressing prices to drive Western competition from the market, said Ryan Castilloux, founder of Adamas Intelligence, a critical mineral market research firm.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Marc Marquez says his latest MotoGP championship win carries a weight that goes beyond his statistics, describing it as the culmination of years spent overcoming injury, self-doubt and an inner battle to continue.—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
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In 2024, the Hurricanes started 9-0, including overcoming double-digit deficits against Virginia Tech, California and Duke in the early portion of its conference schedule.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Joy speaks at length about growing up in a culturally sophisticated yet oppressive family and holding her artistic temperament in check, before achieving a belated liberation.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
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The oppressive regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has kept her away.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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