smothering 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

smothering

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
Verb
  • He had been arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend, Johnny Faye Cartwright, in 2020.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 4 Jan. 2025
  • His trouble with the law began in 2020, when he was arrested for allegedly strangling his girlfriend at an Oregon home.
    Julia Moore, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • However, a lack of autonomy growing up can strongly trigger the need for independence and reinforce negative attitudes about how future relationships may continue to be stifling.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Will the courts uphold the rule, potentially stifling a sector with transformative potential?
    Sandy Carter, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The suffocating Benz pushed the lifelong asthmatic to the edge.
    Sam Bloch August 8, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Examples of the more suffocating atmosphere abound.
    Joshua Yaffa, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2015
Verb
  • Quick thinking by a 9-year-old boy in North Carolina helped save his friend who started choking at recess.
    Sam Gillette, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • He was inspired to learn after watching a teacher use the method to help another student who was choking.
    Sam Gillette, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of suppressing your emotions, practice emotional validation—acknowledge and accept your feelings without judgment.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • His approach promises a more collaborative regulatory framework, fostering innovation rather than suppressing it.
    Leeor Shimron, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • What was mostly missing was the occasional cool front that pushes out the most oppressive heat and humidity.
    Staff And Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025
  • Driving in Palm Beach County — home to Mar-a-Lago — the windows are up, and the AC is blasting to counter the oppressive heat and humidity outside.
    David Culver, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The younger of the two, Bella, is unscathed; her sister had jumped into a pool to rescue her and ended up drowning herself.
    Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner released its official report on Carter's death on April 18, 2023, attributing his cause of death to drowning after inhaling difluoroethane and taking alprazolam, the generic form of brand-name Xanax.
    Johnny Dodd, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Kids older than one year can be given honey to help neutralize the damage, but swallowing a button battery is a life-threatening emergency for which parents should immediately seek medical care.
    Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Symptoms include general weakness, muscle weakness, dizziness, double-vision, abdominal tension, constipation, trouble with speaking or swallowing and difficulty in breathing.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.

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