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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of smolder
This is followed by the sun’s debut in Libra and Mars’ deep dive into its traditional sign of rulership, Scorpio, on Sept. 22, intensifying relationship dynamics with edge and smoldering passion.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
What began on a smoldering day in July with construction cranes and temporary stands can end in one place, and only one place, for this season to truly be a success.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Brian and Ellen meet up at a Beltane festival, where the ceremonial bonfire looks like a blow-out birthday candle in comparison to the flames coming off Jamie Fraser’s smoldering folks.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 29 Aug. 2025
They are focused on building and reinforcing containment lines, extinguishing hot spots and preventing smoldering materials from rolling beyond established perimeters.
—The Press Democrat, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
What began on a smoldering day in July with construction cranes and temporary stands can end in one place, and only one place, for this season to truly be a success.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Brian and Ellen meet up at a Beltane festival, where the ceremonial bonfire looks like a blow-out birthday candle in comparison to the flames coming off Jamie Fraser’s smoldering folks.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 29 Aug. 2025
They are focused on building and reinforcing containment lines, extinguishing hot spots and preventing smoldering materials from rolling beyond established perimeters.
—The Press Democrat, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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However, sharp spending cuts have angered many, while corruption allegations against senior officials have dented his party’s odds ahead of next month’s vote, which could determine the future of Milei’s presidency.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Lawyers at Walsh Gallegos coordinated two releases of emails and other documents on behalf of the school board, but CNN reported how gaping holes remained, surprising and angering board members.—
Shimon Prokupecz,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Watson can stretch the field vertically with his blazing speed and was a rare receiver on last year’s team that was plagued by drops to catch the ball consistently well.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Comets are among the most captivating wanderers of the solar system — icy relics from its earliest days that blaze across the sky with glowing tails and mysterious origins.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For years, airport satisfaction lagged as crowds grew and construction snarled terminals.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Tit-for-tat levies reached triple digits on both sides at one point this year, snarling supply chains.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lapin and her family were among the more than 150,000 people throughout Los Angeles forced to evacuate their homes because of the blazes, which burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed over 16,000 structures.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Historic data In 2024, California experienced 305 fires caused by lightning, resulting in 90,206 acres of wildland burned, according to NIFC records.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Needless to say, fans are steaming.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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At the other end, the Premier League is steaming beyond its peers; a super league in all but name.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The flaming orange garnish adds a smoky aroma that helps the rye peek through, creating contrast.—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Huse torched ham in his backyard for Cuban sandwiches and celebrated birthdays with epic cakes and flaming desserts.—
Gabrielle Calise,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After introducing himself, Beesley snapped a selfie with Kirk.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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The tradition continued in summer 2025 as the entire family — now including Magic and Cookie's two grandkids, Gigi and Avery — snapped this pic while on vacation.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, the headphones, meant to unify the audience in a shared soundscape, instead isolate viewers into their glowing silos, which feels like an ironic choice for a show supposedly about communal grief.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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As the glowing waning gibbous moon rose over center field, the Red Sox went quietly into the night one last time in the bottom of the ninth.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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