smolder

verb

variants or smoulder
Definition of smoldernext
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

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 When smoldering tensions over Texas flared into the Mexican-American War in 1846, the Bear Flag Revolt was launched. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 West of Madrid, the ground is still smoldering days after wildfires moved through. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 27 July 2026 What had been a smoldering issue within the tech world burst into plain view this week after Moonshot AI, a Chinese startup, unveiled an AI model with the technical prowess of many American ones — but which can be accessed at a fraction of the cost. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 23 July 2026 On Tuesday, however, firefighters confronted a flare-up in denser fuel pockets where flames had continued to smolder after the rain. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
  1. anger
  2. blaze
  3. snarl
  4. burn
  5. steam
  6. flame
  7. snap
  8. glow
Verb
  • The receptionist angers Kripke and Bert so much that they are picked up by the police — along with Stuart, who had also been arrested.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • The strategy has also angered China, which has demanded that Manila rein in the Coast Guard spokesman who leads it.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • As the flames approached the community in July, the majority of the village’s 3,500 residents were forced to flee their homes, as hundreds of firefighters were deployed to tackle blazes more violent and unpredictable than in previous years.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Longtime fans generally expect virtuosic musicianship from Rush, and the second Garden show was no exception, with Lee delivering punishing bass lines and Lifeson blazing away on the guitar.
    — David Chiu, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of blaze
Verb
  • WestJet canceled 495 flights Sunday, snarling travel plans in Canada in the middle of a long holiday weekend.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • After the upheaval of the coronavirus pandemic, followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes that snarled the production pipeline, many industry observers feared that Zoomers were a lost demographic.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • Aerial images obtained by CNN show entire residential blocks burned and the surrounding vegetation charred.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In the first two months of this wildfire season, nearly 500,000 hectares of land have burned across Europe.
    — , CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • Sometimes holding a dispenser over a steaming hot beverage can cause condensation to form around the pouring spout.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The chiles are tumbled over high heat to scorch the skins, then dumped out into a box to steam.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of steam
Verb
  • The lift had to be powerful enough to blast the massive orb into the sky, and the shell had to explode at just the right moment, without raining flaming debris.
    — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • There are not a lot of good places to have a classic steakhouse experience in Oakland – with a stylish and luxurious atmosphere, sizzle and smoke of a flaming grill, true reverence for meat.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
Definition of flame
Verb
  • Jakob Marsee snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run double in the fifth inning and Kyle Stowers homered for the second straight night Friday, powering the Miami Marlins to a 5-2 win over the New York Mets.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators found damaged trees along Rock Branch Road, before the tornado crossed Highway 212 and snapped or uprooted numerous trees along the southward slope of Shelton Laurel Creek and toward Cutshall Town Road.
    — Joe Marusak July 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of snap
Verb
  • While only a handful appear each hour before the shower reaches maximum activity, early Perseids are known for producing vivid green fireballs and long-lasting glowing trails.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • Despite glowing reviews and fans begging for its release, a film industry dominated by political correctness refused to touch it.
    — William Earl, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of glow

Browse Nearby Words

smoky
smolder
smoldered
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Cite this Entry

“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of smolder for Spanish Speakers

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