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
But where chimps might merely poke over the ashes, our lineage at some point took the next step in promoting and even domesticating the flames — perhaps picking a smoldering stick from the edges of one grassland, and lighting the grassland in the next valley over.
—
Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Tumbling waterfalls, dense jungles, winding rivers, smoldering volcanoes, and secluded beaches make Costa Rica an idyllic destination for travelers looking to immerse themselves in nature.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, AFAR Media, 26 Aug. 2025
Firefighters survey the smoldering area of a forest fire that threatened a nearby apartment complex on July 30, 2025 in Mem Martins, Portugal.
—Sam Meredith,sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2025
Video shot by a neighbor shows the plane’s smoldering wreckage, just feet from a kids’ basketball hoop.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Tumbling waterfalls, dense jungles, winding rivers, smoldering volcanoes, and secluded beaches make Costa Rica an idyllic destination for travelers looking to immerse themselves in nature.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, AFAR Media, 26 Aug. 2025
Firefighters survey the smoldering area of a forest fire that threatened a nearby apartment complex on July 30, 2025 in Mem Martins, Portugal.
—Sam Meredith,sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2025
Video shot by a neighbor shows the plane’s smoldering wreckage, just feet from a kids’ basketball hoop.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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Robert Bianco, a longtime TV critic for USA Today, emphasized how strongly Levin supported him even when Bianco’s reviews angered Levin’s sources.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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Platner also worked as a contractor for Constellis, a successor to the security company Blackwater, which has angered some online activists.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lambert has the blazing speed of a top-six forward — like Nikolaj Ehlers, whose offseason departure creates a hole in Winnipeg’s top six — while Salomonsson dominated in his best AHL games last season.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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The best overall is the 2024 MacBook Pro M4 for its blazing-fast M4 chip, stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with nano-texture coating (ideal for outdoor use) and optimized for demanding creative workflows.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Indeed, the film includes audio of President Nixon snarling about Hersh in conversations with his national security adviser, Henry Kissinger.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
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For the privileged few, a cool $27,000 can pay for a gourmet cuisine just yards from F1 cars snarling past.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The wildfire has been burning on private land.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Jets also failed twice to convert on two-point conversions, once in the first half (Braelon Allen was stuffed) and again in the fourth quarter — after needlessly burning a timeout, Fields forced a throw to Wilson, surrounded by three defensive backs, in the back right corner of the end zone.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His observant approach to capturing the sights and sounds of New York’s Chinatown and Lower East Side — the streets packed with extras, the kitchens where Aishe works steaming and bustling — displays what can only be a documentarian’s attention to local detail and color.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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Basically, the creator, who shares content on the platform using the handle @mothercould, takes a cup filled with hot water and a paper towel, and places her child's ear over the opening of the cup, steaming the ear.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The games featured will be some of the most impactful of the series yet, including one set at a shrine at night with flaming arrows raining down.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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The showstopper here is the flaming chorizo, which adds a touch of drama to dinner.—
Caroline Rogers,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Outside of the Seahawks’ building, there were concerns about their new-look passing game, the offensive line’s ability to lead a dominant rushing attack, the pass rushers not named Williams and whether Woolen would be locked in on a snap-to-snap basis, among other things.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Another shopper mentioned using one as a magnetic flashlight during car repairs, snapping to metal on the car’s chassis for hands-free illumination right where it’s needed.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For observers in Australia, Asia, Africa and parts of Europe, the rise of the full moon will be followed by its journey through Earth’s shadow in space, with its surface glowing reddish-orange for 82 minutes.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Lillusory Scallop Cardigan in Navy, $18 with coupon The sweater is starting to receive five-star ratings and glowing reviews.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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