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
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smothering
Broderick Turner
follow, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
That’s because the universe was full of relatively cool, light-smothering hydrogen, which scarcely emitted any light of its own.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
The indictment charges Horner with strangling, smothering or asphyxiating Athena while in the course of kidnapping her.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Bagging clippings prevents smothering from long grass and offers mulch or compost material.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2026
But UConn’s smothering defense forced five turnovers against the junior guard and limited the rest of her team to just 30 points.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
In the West, a smothering heat dome moved east after almost two weeks of record March temperatures; four spots in Arizona and California hit 112 degrees, and dozens of locations set heat records all the way to Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
And for only children—who believe that a sibling would mean the end of loneliness or a reduction in unwanted or smothering attention, an ally with whom to weather the storm—the wish to have one may be equally strong.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The spectacle lasted only a few minutes until twilight arrived, smothering everything in an elixir of violet.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Rockets are a physical team that also plays smothering defense.
—Broderick Turner
follow, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
That’s because the universe was full of relatively cool, light-smothering hydrogen, which scarcely emitted any light of its own.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
The indictment charges Horner with strangling, smothering or asphyxiating Athena while in the course of kidnapping her.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Bagging clippings prevents smothering from long grass and offers mulch or compost material.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2026
But UConn’s smothering defense forced five turnovers against the junior guard and limited the rest of her team to just 30 points.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
In the West, a smothering heat dome moved east after almost two weeks of record March temperatures; four spots in Arizona and California hit 112 degrees, and dozens of locations set heat records all the way to Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
And for only children—who believe that a sibling would mean the end of loneliness or a reduction in unwanted or smothering attention, an ally with whom to weather the storm—the wish to have one may be equally strong.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The spectacle lasted only a few minutes until twilight arrived, smothering everything in an elixir of violet.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
Adjective
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Georgia will surely be ready and focused on its home floor following two consecutive losses, but Bucky Ball and its suffocating style from a fresh A&M team will be too much for the Bulldogs.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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Justin Edmonds / Getty Images Darnold, Mike Macdonald and a suffocating defense have led the Seahawks to the big stage for the fourth time in franchise history.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The emerging uproar could prove costly for Swalwell if his fundraising dries up, strangling his ability to run campaign ads, or if unions and other groups that endorsed his campaign begin to retract their decisions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Horner, a former FedEx driver who abducted the child while delivering a package to her home, told a false story about hitting the little girl with his truck and then strangling her in a panic, Espinoza testified.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The order also states that the government may suspend or ban state contracts with AI companies that violate existing civil liberties, such as stifling freedom of speech or engaging in surveillance.—
Richard Sill,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
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The Gamecocks played stifling defense to knock off UConn 62-48 and end the defending champion Huskies’ 54-game winning streak in the Final Four on Friday night.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As of now, Brooklyn doesn’t seem keen on burying the hatchet with his parents.—
Jaeden Pinder,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2026
-
With dwindling places to put snow, burying them was their best choice.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The early heat wave comes less than a month after oppressive heat choked much of the western United States.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
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Based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, the sequel series returns to the oppressive, patriarchal society, this time through the lens of teenagers Agnes (Chase Infiniti) and Daisy (Lucy Halliday).—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sadie Robertson experienced every parent's worst nightmare when her 8-month-old daughter, Kit, stopped breathing after choking on a snack.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
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But what exactly does choking access to the region’s oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz mean and what does Trump want to accomplish?—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Moss is low-maintenance, eco-friendly, and can thrive in various environments, benefiting gardens by controlling erosion and suppressing weeds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Echinacea may interact with caffeine and immune-suppressing medications, though more research is needed to confirm this.—
Megan Nunn,
Verywell Health,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Frank said the team could take pride in overcoming its dreadful start to come within a few victories of landing a higher seed that would have assured them a playoff spot, and posting its league-best 15th consecutive winning season.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Halos stormed through the playoffs to this franchise's only championship, overcoming a 3-2 series deficit to Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants to win the World Series.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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