Synonyms of smoldering

smoldering 1 of 2

adjective

variants or smouldering

as in flickering

being on fire with no visible flames but often with much smoke

All that was left of the campfire were smoldering embers.

Related Words

• flickering
• burning
• glowing
• flaming
• burnt
• charred
• burned
• flaring
• blazing
• aglow
• live
• lighted
• fiery
• ignited
• lit
• aflame
• enflamed
• inflamed
• afire
• scorching
• kindled
• searing
• sizzling
• roasting
• alight
• combusting
• broiling
• scorched
• red-hot
• ablaze
• conflagrant
• scalding
• hot
• piping hot
• singed
• seared
• incinerated

Dissimilar Words

• dead
• extinguished
• smothered
• stamped (out)
• choked
• quenched
• damped
• snuffed (out)
• doused
• suffocated
• dowsed

smoldering

2 of 2

verb

variants or smouldering

present participle of smolder

1

as in snarling

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.

Related Words

• snarling
• steaming
• burning
• snapping
• seething
• angering
• storming
• foaming
• raging
• sputtering
• flaring (up)
• bristling
• venting
• fuming
• flipping (out)
• rampaging
• blowing up
• fulminating
• vituperating
• blustering
• raving
• teeing off
• ranting
• carrying on
• stewing
• taking on
• fretting
• chafing

Dissimilar Words

• soothing
• containing
• suppressing
• checking
• collecting
• curbing
• restraining
• stifling
• smothering
• composing
• swallowing
• choking (back)
• repressing
• subduing
• strangling
• pacifying
• appeasing
• tempering
• allaying
• moderating
• cooling
• relaxing
• reining
• pocketing
• easing
• settling
• calming
• quieting
• toning (down)
• quelling
• letting up
• stilling
• hushing

2

as in blazing

to be on fire usually with smoke but few flames

They look forward to those long summer nights telling stories beside a smoldering campfire.

Related Words

• blazing
• burning
• flaming
• glowing
• flickering
• sputtering
• combusting
• igniting
• sparkling
• glistening
• sparking
• kindling
• gleaming
• firing
• charring
• shimmering
• melting
• scorching
• enkindling
• roasting
• glittering
• lighting (up)
• cooking
• wavering
• baking
• sweltering
• catching
• broiling
• deflagrating
• shining
• flaring (up)
• twinkling
• radiating
• glimmering
• glaring
• flashing
• beaming
• beating (down)
• brightening
• scintillating
• glinting
• guttering

Dissimilar Words

• extinguishing
• darkening
• dimming

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of smoldering

Verb

The remainder of the perimeter exhibited primarily backing and smoldering fire behavior. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 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

Which, thankfully for fans of all things smoldering, means imminently likely to fire up again. —Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025

Pity those who followed her, having to pick their way through the smouldering embers of what theoretically had been glamorous entryway. —Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

His main job was smoldering as the leading lady pined for him. —Esther Zuckerman, Time, 29 Aug. 2025

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