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 Photographer Sergen Sezgin captured one such scene firsthand, as the moon rose over a smouldering hillside close to the Turkish city of Balıkesir, a few hundred miles south of Tekirdağ. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 30 July 2026 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 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
  • Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich faces a fight for political survival in elections in October after angering his fellow West Bank settlers by voting not to punish ultra-Orthodox Jews who refuse to serve in the military.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The actor also objected to being a locker room scene that required full-frontal nudity, which allegedly angered Russell, TMZ reported.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • The 800-acre River Wildlife Nature Preserve showcases a breathtaking canvas of blazing autumn colors, winding rivers and peaceful meadows, perfect for reconnecting with nature.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And Obregón’s done it while blazing new paths in construction, an industry where Hispanic women are rarely CEOs.
    — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of blaze
Verb
  • The 5 Freeway was initially closed in both directions around the fire, snarling rush hour traffic.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Like a scary transformation in a horror movie, the lovable beaver has morphed into a snarling predator.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • Washoe County Sheriff's Office Now combined, the Fred Mountain Fire and the Bug Fire have burned more than 57,000 acres with no containment as of Tuesday night, according to fire officials.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • On the image-generation front, Google is burning tokens like never before.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • The series left Netflix at the end of June (A Year in the Life remains available there) and currently steams on Hulu and Prime Video.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes holding a dispenser over a steaming hot beverage can cause condensation to form around the pouring spout.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of steam
Verb
  • Residential neighborhood burned into Tuesday night was calm, with little wind to flame the fire’s growth.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of flame
Verb
  • In the guest book, in 2024, a guest creatively wrote a six-entry (three days and three nights) account of their stay there, a descent into madness at the hands of the structure’s steady creaking and the sounds of twigs snapping in the woods below.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • What had once been an intimate gathering of familiar faces gradually became more performative, as attendees increasingly dressed in hopes of being snapped by street style photographers.
    — Kelsey Stewart, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of snap
Verb
  • Her glowing skin, minimal makeup, and refined hairstyle helped define an ideal of beauty that has endured for generations.
    — Colleen Sullivan, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026
  • After all the glowing testaments to his character, the apartment was startlingly nondescript.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 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 12 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of smolder for Spanish Speakers

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