smothers 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of smother
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
3

smothers

2 of 2

noun

plural of smother

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
  • Or to send any kind of message that stifles his defining disposition.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The judge found that Google has been engaging in behavior that stifles competition to the detriment of online publishers that depend on the system for revenue.
    Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • There is no dignity, and no justice, in a system that buries an elderly woman alive in silence.
    Kim Aris, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
  • This buries the block into the sand.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Even the woman Larry falls for, Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), isn't immune to the animal's evil charms, and the creature nearly chokes the life out of her in one scene.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Higher rates reduce investment, spending, and economic activity, which naturally suppresses hiring.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The reason for this striking look is the inhibitor gene which suppresses pigment deposition at the base of the hair shaft, giving the cat the shimmering effect.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Quick and direct, this young adult novel in verse about a closeted Black boy who overcomes fear and shame through the power of poetry reads almost like a journal entry.
    Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Inflatable module overcomes launch constraints Orbital platforms are typically constrained by limitations related to the launch vehicle.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Just like particles behave differently when observed, your business suffocates under micromanagement.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • 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
  • 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
  • Neurocysticercosis occurs after a person swallows pork tapeworm eggs, according to the CDC.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothers. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on smothers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!