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
-
Daryl charges inside and fights off walkers before strangling Chofo in the bathtub.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Daniel Yacobi was found guilty in August of strangling his 67-year-old mother Violet to death at her Beverly Hills mansion in 2017.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the absence of a clear chain of command and accountability, industry regulators are more likely to impose broad, restrictive, stifling innovation and creating significant compliance burdens.—
Nelson Lim,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Constructed of a cozy blend of acrylic, polyester, cotton, viscose, and spandex, the top is warm but not stifling.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Only instead of ignoring or burying this awful truth, Kai travels the world, speaking at synagogues and in Jewish community centers about his family’s dark past — and at high schools and colleges to ensure that the atrocities of Nazi Germany are never forgotten or sanitized.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Transformation in all its transgressive aspect had been part of my original obsession with pigment, that step by strange step—adding, grinding, titrating, burning, sometimes burying for more than a year—something becomes another thing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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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Two stethoscopes hang on the wall by the door, next to a poster about how to aid a choking victim.—
Jennifer Gonnerman,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Almonds can be a choking hazard.—
Cynthia Sass,
Health,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As Madison anticipated, the First Amendment wasn’t a cure for a government bent on suppressing dissent.—
Donald Nieman,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
-
By suppressing appetite, the drug can help induce weight loss.—
Surina Venkat,
The Hill,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The other notable incident of the first half was one person overcoming the tight security measures to reach the pitch.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Leaper Williams, a Lawrence High graduate who started working at KU at 16, emerged as one of KU football’s most recognizable employees through the years, overcoming a development impairment due to anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain, at birth.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Amid the town’s oppressive atmosphere, Elma’s colleague Saevar could provide salvation.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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In eastern Rajasthan’s poppy fields, an activist son and a farmer mother work to free themselves from oppressive circumstances.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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