variants
or smoulder
1
as in to anger
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
She smoldered when first learning of her son's misbehavior at school, but had calmed down by the time he arrived home.
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2
as in to blaze
to be on fire usually with smoke but few flames
They look forward to those long summer nights telling stories beside a smoldering campfire.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smolder
Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old man accused of setting the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history, likely used a lighter to start a small fire on New Year’s Day that smoldered underground for days before reigniting in high winds and killing 12 people, federal authorities said Wednesday.
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Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
The fire smoldered for a week before reigniting under heavy winds and growing into the Palisades Fire.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
The idea of staging the Ultimate Game in The Big Smoke has been smoldering for nearly two decades, and a London Super Bowl now seems somewhat inevitable.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Authorities have arrested 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, accusing him of purposefully igniting a New Year’s Day fire that smoldered for days and later exploded into the deadly Palisades Fire that devastated California.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
The fire smoldered for a week before reigniting under heavy winds and growing into the Palisades Fire.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
The idea of staging the Ultimate Game in The Big Smoke has been smoldering for nearly two decades, and a London Super Bowl now seems somewhat inevitable.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Authorities have arrested 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, accusing him of purposefully igniting a New Year’s Day fire that smoldered for days and later exploded into the deadly Palisades Fire that devastated California.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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The land was acquired by the company through the village in 2018 in a move that angered a lot residents but in 2023 the Foxconn project failed to live up to its original expectation.—
Ricardo Torres,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Others are angered that the visa requires only an undergraduate STEM degree, saying that is setting the bar too low at a time when young people in China feel pressured to rack up advanced degrees in order to compete with their peers in the job market.—
Peter Guo,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Now that their legendary predecessors have gained high regards in their own right, these younger kin are blazing their own trails.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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However, the Miss USA organization is already making amends and blazing new trails with its fresh-faced leadership team.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Car buyers may face elevated prices and a shortage of some vehicles due to a supply chain snarled by tariffs and challenges accessing crucial materials, some industry experts told ABC News.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
23 Oct. 2025
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The thick, snarling vines that produced bright yellow leaves and orange berries were sought after for holiday wreaths, private landscaping, and the grounds of large arboretums.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cobalt, which can cause a burning sensation when handled, was one of the most common of these and is named for the kobold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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The home features two wood-burning fireplaces, a mudroom and a recreational room, according to the listing.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ferrara’s arrival in New York City and subsequent entry into the movie business is presented as something like a case of recidivism, a dive from suburban gentility into the cauldron of steaming garbage that was Fun City–era Manhattan.—
Nick Pinkerton,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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The clip then smash-cuts to a scene of Bruce as a child listening to his parents fight in the next room, and we’re meant to understand that the joy and power that steams off of the stage is a cure for the pain of childhood wounds.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This 32-foot-tall sculpture with flaming red eyes has alarmed travelers for decades, but the story of its creation is even more chilling.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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With a bright pattern set on flaming crimson and a diaphanous petticoat underneath, the dress fits her perfectly.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The coronal magnetic field is therefore constantly under immense strain, and when that strain becomes too great, its tangled magnetic field lines snap open.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Anderson was snapped by the paparazzi on her way to the event, bundled up in a long light grey Retori coat and oversized sunglasses.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shaped like glowing maple leaves, the six-piece set brings all the cozy fall vibes while brightening up driveways, walkways, and garden paths.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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The Emerald Cave glows bright green when sunlight hits the water just right.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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