SMOULDER Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

smolder

verb

variants or smoulder

Definition of smolder

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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Dissimilar Words

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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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of smolder Kit Harington hits the English countryside, smolders on a horse, smokes a cigar and gives off some Jon Snow vibes in a new winter 2026 campaign for Kith. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026 American educational history is overflowing with abuse, segregation, substandard structures, and smoldering scorn. — Kamau Bobb october 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026 After two steadying years in the Marine Corps, McQueen made his way back to New York City with a chip on his shoulder and a smoldering anger masked by surprisingly boyish charm and boundless energy. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 Colonel Brandon Herbert Nordrum Nordrum plays Colonel Brandon as a sad, hopeless yet smoldering sleeper suitor who can’t take his eyes off of Marianne. — Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for smolder

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder

Verb

But others, particularly in Missouri, have been concerned and angered to see that their bills will soon go up, the second price hike for this year.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Some like Bowdon are angered that Kennedy has yet to ban mRNA vaccines.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of anger

Verb

Everyone's welcome to do nothing but sit here and watch the blazing postcard-perfect sunsets.

— Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 2026
Yet today, a market woman standing on black asphalt in the blazing sun may have an insurance policy which has a trigger determined by a weather station 50 kilometers away.

— Simmone Shah, Time, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of blaze

Verb

The westbound lanes of Interstate 30 were closed, snarling traffic for the morning commute as crews worked to clear the scene.

— Briauna Brown, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
One person died and two others were taken to hospitals Thursday after a crash involving a big rig that snarled traffic on Highway 99 in Elk Grove.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of snarl

Verb

Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital in September, which her attorneys say probably did not enter her bloodstream correctly and instead pooled in her arms, leaving them burned and blistered.

— CBS News, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
From waste to carbon Waste incineration plants produce CO2 while burning residual waste in order to generate electricity.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of burn

Verb

That’s especially true in the Southeast, where there’s no shortage of uniquely thrilling opening acts from Chief Osceola and his flaming spear at Florida State to the eagle’s pre-game lap around Jordan Hare Stadium at Auburn.

— Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026
The flaming tower is part of a component most often known in Russian by the acronym ELOU-AVT, shorthand for an Electric Desalting and Atmospheric-Vacuum Distillation Unit.

— Jarrett Ley, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of flame

Verb

The two sides can also be snapped together to form a small top handle that’s adorable for nighttime events.

— Abby Hepworth, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2026
Throughout the year, seasonal rides offer a round-trip or one with a two-hour layover with enough time to snap the iconic photo of straddling the Georgia and Tennessee state line.

— Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of snap

Verb

What's particularly interesting and endearing about this feature is that while previous implementations of the glowing logo relied on an existing screen backlight, OLED panels (which use self-emitting pixels) need no backlight.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Russian media outlets later reported a blaze at Ryazan oil refinery, sharing pictures of plumes of smoke and the night sky glowing red.

— Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of glow

Browse Nearby Words

smoky

smolder

smoldered

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of smolder

verb

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