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
Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel – the deadliest security failure in the country’s history – sparked the war in Gaza and a multifront conflagration that still smolders almost three years later.
—
Dina Kraft,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 June 2026
In 2024, a Lineage facility in Washington state caught fire and smoldered for two months, Northwest Public Broadcasting reported.
—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
More specifically, the ’90s chemistry queen Rene Russo, who has smoldered onscreen with everyone from Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson to Pierce Brosnan and John Travolta.
—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
Brûlée, a new brunch restaurant inspired by classic American Southern food, has already become a hotspot in Chicago, but smolders with culinary potential.
—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Dina Kraft,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 June 2026
In 2024, a Lineage facility in Washington state caught fire and smoldered for two months, Northwest Public Broadcasting reported.
—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
More specifically, the ’90s chemistry queen Rene Russo, who has smoldered onscreen with everyone from Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson to Pierce Brosnan and John Travolta.
—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
Brûlée, a new brunch restaurant inspired by classic American Southern food, has already become a hotspot in Chicago, but smolders with culinary potential.
—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for smolder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smolder
Verb
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Younger, more far left candidates across the nation, from California to Indiana, are running this year to try and oust older, longtime congressional incumbents — angering Democratic Party leaders.
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Not further angering Republicans took precedence over protecting the creative freedom of CBS’ producing partners.
Verb
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While prosecution witnesses have refused to delineate between the Lachman and Palisades blazes, Haney has repeatedly described them as two distinct incidents that ignited days apart.
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Its most striking feature, however, is tied to Houston’s blazing 12-season NBA career.
Verb
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In fact, none of them are shy about their glee, leaving Kayda crying, Trinity snarling, and Melanie calculating.
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Traffic was snarled on Interstate 70 and other key arteries because of some combination of vague signage on parking passes or apps, accidents earlier in the afternoon, the lack of dedicated lanes for the bus system — why oh why couldn’t that be achieved in the master plan?
Verb
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Most of the smoke is coming from the Iron Fire in Utah, which has burned more than 21,000 acres.
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The world has known that adding heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests will warm the globe, said Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center on Cape Cod, who was not involved in the research.
Verb
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When in doubt, stick to food that is cooked and served steaming hot.
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Enjoy a steaming plate of weekend-only biscuits and gravy.
Verb
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When the challenge called for the teams to light a flaming arrow and set a nearby target aflame with a direct hit, Pharaoh lit the fire with ease.
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Tableside preparations spread across the land, from prime-rib carts to flaming desserts.
Verb
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Playing the Atlanta Dream, the Eastern Conference’s top team, Golden State hit 15 3-pointers to cruise to a 77-66 win at home and snap its two-game losing streak.
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Name something worse than going to snap a photo of the beach, only to figure out that your phone’s battery is dead.
Verb
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Akin to a snake shedding its skin, the TikToker would peel the finished mask from their face to reveal a bouncy, glowing complexion.
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As far as Lendeborg’s on-the-court fit with the Warriors, Butler gave a glowing assessment.
Cite this Entry
“Smolder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smolder. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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