1
as in accelerating
to free from obstruction or difficulty
a willingness to compromise will smooth the way to an early agreement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shaving
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps
the workers smoothed the surface of the concrete before letting it dry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
used fine sandpaper to smooth the face of the wood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in facilitating
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 smoothing
Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Offset spatula This decorating tool is a skinny, rectangular spatula used to assist in smoothing icing, which will give your cake a polished finish.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Gallant, sleeveless and heavily tattooed, began slowly smoothing a white sheet atop his model’s shoulders.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The multi-styler comes with all kinds of attachments, including several long barrels, two smoothing brushes, a round volumizing brush, and a smoothing dryer.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
The bottoms feature a wide, high-waistband for a smoothing appearance and are subtly flared at the hem, offering a leg-lengthening look.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2025
Made from premium stretch denim, the jeans’ signature high-rise waistband slims the figure, smoothing and sculpting with every movement.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
Microneedling demand has exploded in recent years—by 150% globally since 2015, to be precise—because of its smoothing benefits that leave younger-looking skin.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
From boosting hydration to smoothing texture, the benefits of snail mucin are well-documented among skincare enthusiasts.
—Karina Hoshikawa, Refinery29, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The handle twists at a 90-degree angle to become a high-speed hair dryer, but locked into its upright position, the device converts into a self-winding curling iron, a frizz-smoothing paddle brush, and a volume-building oval brush.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Offset spatula This decorating tool is a skinny, rectangular spatula used to assist in smoothing icing, which will give your cake a polished finish.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Gallant, sleeveless and heavily tattooed, began slowly smoothing a white sheet atop his model’s shoulders.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The multi-styler comes with all kinds of attachments, including several long barrels, two smoothing brushes, a round volumizing brush, and a smoothing dryer.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
The bottoms feature a wide, high-waistband for a smoothing appearance and are subtly flared at the hem, offering a leg-lengthening look.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2025
Made from premium stretch denim, the jeans’ signature high-rise waistband slims the figure, smoothing and sculpting with every movement.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
Microneedling demand has exploded in recent years—by 150% globally since 2015, to be precise—because of its smoothing benefits that leave younger-looking skin.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
From boosting hydration to smoothing texture, the benefits of snail mucin are well-documented among skincare enthusiasts.
—Karina Hoshikawa, Refinery29, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smoothing
Verb
-
The correspondence shows Maxwell actively facilitating Epstein's financial and personal dealings, including exchanges about fertility treatments, legal strategy, and luxury gifts for powerful associates, victims and celebrities.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
For Klarna, which turns 20 this year, the offering is a milestone and the next step in the payment revolution that so far has helped the company ramp up to 111 million active customers shopping 790,000 merchants and facilitating $112 billion in retail sales annually.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Early on the morning of March 16th, Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador, posted video footage of Salvadoran agents marching the Venezuelan men into prison and shaving their heads.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
One analyst suggested that shaving a percentage point off the state’s income tax could cut available revenues by roughly $5 billion.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is why authorities at the National Park Service, which maintains the statue, have repeatedly rejected any notion of polishing away the green covering.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Silver Centerpieces For anyone who's ever gotten stuck polishing silver, there's good news.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In a derby that former Manchester United captain Roy Keane bemoaned for the lack of combativeness and local representation, Khusanov played like a kid from Stockport finally getting to live out his dream of flattening everyone in a red jersey.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Other times, long rates resist or even rise, flattening the curve and blunting the Fed’s impact.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But to have everyone there, rubbing elbows and being just as outlandish and quirky as ever, three decades ago just felt off.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Other signs that your cat is content and relaxed with you include kneading, and head rubbing and bunting.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Scott's expertise in embellishment and her ability to execute it in the most chic way prevailed; whether as crystal beading on the cape-style lapel of a jacket, a delicate fur-like fringe in neon green flanking a black dress, or a tubular velvet rope trimming the edges of tank-style pieces.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Something as simple as trimming nails or cutting hair also takes on new challenges, as without gravity, every tiny clipping would drift around, potentially clogging equipment or entering astronauts' eyes or lungs.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Magellano’s Dual Mode Hull, a signature feature that has been on the vessels since the series started, is a semi-planing hull with a vertical bow.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Besides the Cool Springs location, the brand is also planing to open stores at Opry Mills and West Town Mall in Knoxville this fall.—
Gabrielle Chenault,
The Tennessean,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Its audio comes through clean and detail-rich, with noise cancelling and automatic limiting to handle background chaos without clipping your voice.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Crews will complete work on the Riverfront Extension Project that requires a shutdown, like clipping wires and placing the overhead guide wire between Second and Third streets.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smoothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smoothing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share