1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
children should never play inside discarded appliances because they could become trapped and smother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
he quickly smothered his inappropriate laughter at the funeral ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bury
to defeat by a large margin
the soccer team smothered their first few opponents in the championships, but lost narrowly in the final round
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smother
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Victor used flags and banners meant to bring awareness to the hostages to smother flames that had consumed another marcher.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
At Ponty Bistro, the lamb had a nice char on the outside, and, like the poisson yassa, was smothered in sauce.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
The Thunder are looking to smother Tyrese Haliburton and this high-flying Pacers offense.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Victor used flags and banners meant to bring awareness to the hostages to smother flames that had consumed another marcher.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Noun
Everyone in Cincinnati is suffering in the smothering heat and humidity this week.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
At Ponty Bistro, the lamb had a nice char on the outside, and, like the poisson yassa, was smothered in sauce.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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Menzies was convicted of the 1986 murder of 26-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was kidnapped, robbed, strangled, and found tied to a tree with her throat slit.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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Most of the victims were strangled or asphyxiated, and Gacy buried 26 of the bodies in the crawl space beneath his home; others were found in Chicago waterways, per NPR.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
Leave behind New York’s stifling policies and discover a state where your ambition can soar.—
Mike Dunleavy,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
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While luck will favor some and stifle others, here are a few tips on how join the first group: Be Loyal: Elite status with an airline can work wonders.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Prince Friso was in a skiing accident in February 2012, getting buried under an avalanche, which led to brain damage and falling into a coma.—
Alex Apatoff,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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Some mourners openly wept, burying their faces in the Palestinian flags wrapped around the bodies.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
The trade-offs are that the steam wand is a little foamy, and the portafilter is lightweight.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
12 July 2025
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Your steam cleaner can be used to degrease range hoods.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The boy stuck his head through the dividers and appeared to be choking, according to the witness, who said Smith laughed and pushed the boy’s head back through the divider.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
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In addition to the chickens, Frank flushed his shoes down one of the toilets, Dennis and Dee kept blowing fuses with the scheme's need for a power-sucking vacuum sealer, and the basement was choked with carbon monoxide.—
Dennis Perkins,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The building’s sprinkler system suppressed the flames before firefighters completed their operations, bringing the fire under control in under 30 minutes, officials said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
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That same resolution created Palestine, which Israel has refused to recognize and has fought to suppress ever since.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Judicial confirmations were once a slower, more contentious process, often requiring 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
14 July 2025
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Becky Lynch overcame Lyra Valkyria and Bayley to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship in what was possibly the match of the night.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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There are both federal regulations and state regulations for cloud seeding and other forms of weather modification.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
12 July 2025
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Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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