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
There’s the brutal heat; the skin destroying UV-rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that NEVER let up; the smothering humidity. — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 There’s the brutal heat; the skin-destroying UV rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that never let up; the smothering humidity. — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 The Minnesota defense stopped Love on a sneak, and from that point on, the defense was smothering, applying pressure at the perfect time. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 Wildfires are ripping across parts of Indonesia, destroying precious peatland and smothering the country in a toxic smoke so thick, people are struggling to breathe. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 Leaning on her and wrapping her body around her, almost smothering. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026 Hentges was accused of smothering his wife, Cheryl, 70, with a pillow in July 2024. — Christina Hall, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
  1. suffocating
  2. strangling
  3. stifling
  4. burying
  5. oppressive
  6. choking
  7. suppressing
  8. overcoming
Adjective
  • Scientists suspect that the combination of high heat and a suffocating deep-tropical air mass will be considered the worst humidity the region has experienced in the modern era.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Eilish will play Greenwood, the brilliant young woman at the center of Plath’s semi-autobiographical story, which follows her descent into mental illness amid the suffocating expectations placed on women in 1950s America.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of suffocating
Verb
  • The latest slate of attacks is strangling a recovery in movement throughout the strait that had been building for weeks.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Officers found multiple videos that showed Jackson grabbing his Goldendoodle by the neck and strangling it before throwing it against a wall, killing it, police said.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of strangling
Verb
  • Most critically, the stifling political atmosphere Xi has created is draining Beijing’s ability to respond to emerging problems as earlier generations once did.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The government has been widely accused of stealing elections, jailing dissidents and stifling freedom of speech.
    — Clyburn Saint John, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stifling
Verb
  • After the hanging, Sepahi’s family was reportedly prevented by authorities from burying their son in his hometown.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The limits of burying the bad news Each of these interventions, whether reckless, self-destructive trade barriers, massive military invasions, or offensive divisive speeches, soaks up attention.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of burying
Adjective
  • The combination was as oppressive as the thermometer reading.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Central Connecticut State University President Zulma Toro resigned Wednesday following an investigation into a complaint alleging the workplace culture under her leadership was oppressive, bullying and intimidating.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Verb
  • DeShantz is also accused of choking the woman and throwing her to the ground outside of his home in the city's Allentown neighborhood.
    — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Car seats, walkers and other baby gear sold at Target have been recalled due to choking hazards and the risk of serious injury from falls.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of choking
Verb
  • According to Iran Human Rights Monitor, the force has evolved into a powerful internal security institution involved in suppressing anti-government demonstrations, monitoring political activity and enforcing the regime's ideological restrictions.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Cybersecurity specialist Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) decides to turn whistleblower upon discovering that the US government has been suppressing evidence of extra-terrrestrial life, as part of a cover-up that goes back decades.
    — Tom Bailey, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppressing
Verb
  • The former Cup champion finished third, overcoming a speeding-on-pit-road penalty and other drama en route to that result.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
  • In that interview, Williams discussed growing up in New York, overcoming adversity and the importance of treating others with kindness.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcoming

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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