Synonyms of smolder

smolder

verb

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.

Related Words

• anger
• snarl
• steam
• burn
• snap
• seethe
• foam
• storm
• sputter
• flare (up)
• rage
• blow up
• flip (out)
• vent
• fume
• bristle
• tee off
• vituperate
• fulminate
• bluster
• rant
• rave
• carry on
• stew
• take on
• rampage
• chafe
• fret

Dissimilar Words

• contain
• suppress
• soothe
• check
• restrain
• allay
• collect
• appease
• curb
• stifle
• compose
• subdue
• swallow
• tone (down)
• repress
• temper
• choke (back)
• strangle
• pacify
• smother
• moderate
• relax
• ease
• rein
• cool
• settle
• calm
• quell
• quiet
• pocket
• hush
• still
• let up

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.

Related Words

• blaze
• burn
• flame
• glow
• flicker
• combust
• ignite
• sputter
• spark
• fire
• sparkle
• kindle
• glisten
• char
• enkindle
• melt
• light (up)
• roast
• scorch
• waver
• catch
• deflagrate
• cook
• gleam
• bake
• flare (up)
• shimmer
• broil
• radiate
• twinkle
• brighten
• beam
• shine
• beat (down)
• swelter
• glitter
• flash
• glare
• gutter
• glimmer
• scintillate
• glint

Dissimilar Words

• extinguish
• dim
• darken

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of smolder

Emergency crews worked under the threat of additional strikes to put out the fire, and had to cut through the flooring between two building levels to extinguish smoldering materials, as per Ukrainian government platform United24. — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Aug. 2026

But the protege turned pitmaster wanted to put his own riff on the dish that looks like a smoldering cigar, originally a playful transformation of the Cuban sandwich. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

The fire in the High Fens, which stretches across the border with Germany, is smoldering atop a much-bloodied battlefield where Nazis fought Allied troops. — Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

By the afternoon, portions of the building were still burning and smoldering as firefighters worked to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby businesses and structures. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026