1
as in strangles
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifles
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 buries
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothers
Verb
-
What worked at ten employees strangles progress at one hundred.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025 -
At that point, both Hsiao-Lee’s life and our perspective open up toward something more hopeful, even if plenty of turmoil — including another unbearable scene in which Chiang nearly strangles Chuan to death — continues back home.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That fear discourages innovation and stifles opportunity.—
Brad Rencher,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
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In the TikTok video, Ella lies with her arms at her sides and stifles a giggle.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps even worse is the horrifying relatability, as the bereaved father ignores the warnings and buries his dead child in an ancient burial ground.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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Wednesday sets out to stop Isaac from doing the same to Pugsley, but in the process, Isaac captures Thing (Victor Dorobantu) — revealing that Thing was originally his hand, which Morticia had chopped off — and buries Wednesday alive.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hybrid-resilient architecture—local backups that can kick in like muscle memory when the cloud chokes.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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On the ground, there’s a war of grappling, chokes, and limb breaks, and Oliveira is one of the best to ever fight it.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And how a democratic society responds to its leaders can make the difference between a free society and one in which a leader increasingly suppresses the voices, rights and will of the governed.—
Karrin Vasby Anderson,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
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The partner who suppresses becomes less visible in the relationship.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The new CoFe-2DSA catalyst overcomes these limits through a unique structure.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
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Saginaw’s surge overcomes Boswell The Pioneers of Boswell dominated play in the opening half, building a 21-0 lead that looked rock solid behind a persistent defense and an offense balanced with good running and passing.—
Pat Wheeler,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Just like particles behave differently when observed, your business suffocates under micromanagement.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Rather than conjuring a mood of bracing inexorability, this linear focus only suffocates what might be an interesting debate, as a man of the modern world weighs his values against those of a woman raised in atavistic isolation.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Taroko Gorge, however, carves breathtaking grandeur from marble stone; a natural cathedral of cliffs, where suspension bridges sway above rapids and swallows dart through narrow canyons.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Neurocysticercosis occurs after a person swallows pork tapeworm eggs, according to the CDC.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Smothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothers. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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