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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Natural methods like smothering with a tarp, flame weeding, or pulling by hand can effectively eliminate white clover.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 June 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, 18 May 2026
The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
There’s probably a smart, chilling film to be made about the terrors of smothering and relentless adoration — one imagines what Rod Serling would have done with something like this — but this isn’t really that film.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 May 2026
More recently, massive desalination plants, which often double as electric power plants, have been dumping hot brine that rapidly sinks, smothering life at the Gulf’s bottom, Riegl says.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Plants grow rapidly in spring, smothering weeds and feeding the soil.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Verb
The Boston Bruins would like to incorporate the Hurricanes’ smothering defense and relentless attack.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Natural methods like smothering with a tarp, flame weeding, or pulling by hand can effectively eliminate white clover.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 June 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, 18 May 2026
The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
There’s probably a smart, chilling film to be made about the terrors of smothering and relentless adoration — one imagines what Rod Serling would have done with something like this — but this isn’t really that film.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 May 2026
More recently, massive desalination plants, which often double as electric power plants, have been dumping hot brine that rapidly sinks, smothering life at the Gulf’s bottom, Riegl says.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Plants grow rapidly in spring, smothering weeds and feeding the soil.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
Adjective
-
The Valkyries won their third straight game, defeating the Sparks 78-58 behind a suffocating defensive performance.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
-
The Fleet played a suffocating style of hockey, with a strong forecheck and the ability to wear down opponents with relentless offensive-zone pressure.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Heuermann admitted in April to strangling all of his victims over a 17-year span beginning in 1993.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
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Heuermann, 62, admitted in April to strangling eight women and leaving their remains in remote areas of Long Island between 1993 and 2010, which have been dubbed the Gilgo Beach killings.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Candor, without the balance of Humility, Temperance, and Collaboration, risks hardening into rigidity, creating blind spots and stifling relationships.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
There are so many etiquette rules stifling the truth.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
Verb
-
The structure suddenly collapsed, burying the people within.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
-
Since then, the city has touted its success in burying most of its wires while keeping rates competitive with other utilities.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
After the Boston Tea Party, the British government cracked down on the colonies with a series of oppressive laws known as the Intolerable Acts.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
-
Outside the stadium, protesters clashed over Iran’s oppressive regime and its place in the tournament as players vowed to rise above politics and unite Iranians through soccer.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
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According to the criminal complaint, the boy told police Diggs began choking him before dragging him into the nearby alley.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
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Officer Nicholas Samartino of the Woodbridge Police Department responded to a report that a 5-day-old infant was choking and experiencing difficulty breathing back in May, according to police.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Increase Your Protein Intake Protein increases satiety hormones while suppressing hunger hormones.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Verywell Health,
19 June 2026
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Firms also comply with privacy frameworks such as the GDPR and the CCPA when working across jurisdictions and refuse engagements that would require suppressing truthful, lawful reporting.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Biden, who has spoken at length about overcoming drug addiction, claims to be at least $15 million in debt.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
-
Many training programs for travel consultants (or really for anybody who works in sales) include tactics on overcoming objections.—
Scott Laird,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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