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
Finally, Burning Rose is a smoldering floral blend that grounds rose petals and violet in birch and ebony wood.
—
Jenny Berg, Allure, 5 Dec. 2025
While firefighters contained the blaze on Friday and doused the still-smouldering towers, families had the grim task of looking at photographs of the dead taken by rescue workers.
—Joyce Zhou, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Smoke rising from the smoldering high-rise apartments.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 27 Nov. 2025
Even so, Teller’s chatty anxiousness does contrast well with Turner’s smoldering, confident melancholy.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Jenny Berg, Allure, 5 Dec. 2025
While firefighters contained the blaze on Friday and doused the still-smouldering towers, families had the grim task of looking at photographs of the dead taken by rescue workers.
—Joyce Zhou, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Smoke rising from the smoldering high-rise apartments.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 27 Nov. 2025
Even so, Teller’s chatty anxiousness does contrast well with Turner’s smoldering, confident melancholy.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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With an economy that is persistently reliant on crude, pursuing policies that raise energy costs risks angering constituents.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
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The board instead approved a resolution to reexamine current campus spaces, angering some parents.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The council in 2024 rejected a 498-unit apartment complex nearby in Deer Canyon over similar concerns related to evacuations and the area’s proneness to blazes.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
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The publicity staff is pulling out all the stops to arouse interest in the show, including a Hollywood premiere in New York complete with lights, blazing Bat symbols, plush red carpets, champagne and popcorn.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, high winds pushed over a tractor trailer on the southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway near Pyramid Lake, snarling traffic for several miles.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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Television cameras caught Adebayo snarling dismissively.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Supervisor Kathryn Barger's office, which represents the Eaton Fire burn scar communities, said she has been briefed by the EPA on the soil testing efforts.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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The fires started just hours apart and burned for a month, killing 31 people and destroying more than 16,000 buildings across the county.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some other unconventional methods include steaming the fabric to soften the threads and then stretch, as well as wetting the garment and then pining it down at the correct size, like how crocheters stretch out granny squares.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
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Our Test Kitchen used a thin, 12-inch cast-iron skillet and the high heat transferred well in this pan and allowed for some charring, but also steaming due to the high volume.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Allison’s husband, Rich Statter, quickly stepped in and grabbed his wife's flaming hair, putting out the fire with his hands.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The luxury Swiss Alps nightclub where at least 40 people were killed and nearly 120 others were injured in a New Year’s Eve inferno, had previously released a promotional video advertising flaming champagne bottles, which authorities deemed the cause of the tragedy.—
Emma Bussey , Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While generative models can easily reshape objects for visual appeal, those changes often cause parts to snap, bend, or collapse after fabrication.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Jan. 2026
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Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and David Perron also scored and Tim Stutzle had an empty-net goal as the Senators won on back-to-back nights, following up on beating Vancouver at home on Tuesday to snap their losing streak at four.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At peak activity, the shower can produce 10 to 20 meteors per hour—with many leaving long, glowing trails and occasionally dazzling fireballs.—
Michael d'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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Kim shared a glowing photo of her smiley second daughter admiring her braids in the mirror.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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