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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smother
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Up in the attic, a melty miasma smothers the thick winter coats, which hurt me to even look at.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
13 May 2026
The evergreen vines carpet forest floors and smother native wildflowers year-round.
—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
The Boston Bruins would like to incorporate the Hurricanes’ smothering defense and relentless attack.
—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Up in the attic, a melty miasma smothers the thick winter coats, which hurt me to even look at.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
Noun
Cardboard or newspaper layers can be placed under mulch to further smother weeds and enrich the soil.
—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
13 May 2026
The evergreen vines carpet forest floors and smother native wildflowers year-round.
—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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The empress returns to her chambers to weep, only to be strangled by a eunuch under the noble consort’s orders.
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The warning is the second issued by UCSB police since May, when an 18-year-old freshman reported she was raped and strangled after meeting a man at a Sigma Pi fraternity party before returning to her dorm at Tropicana Gardens in Isla Vista.
Verb
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Cubans strolled along el Paseo del Prado promenade in the inky night, desperate to escape the stifling heat of their homes.
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The outages come as some areas are expected to experience severe weather and stifling heat again on Saturday.
Verb
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But instead of trying to make the turn, Diene laid the ball off for Baker, who buried a one-timer into the left side of the net.
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In addition, the group plans to bury a time capsule on July 4 in Philadelphia to be opened on America's 500th birthday in 2276.
Noun
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The primary suite occupies its own wing and comes complete with dual baths — one with stone and steam, the other with a soaking tub — a sun deck and private coffee bar.
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His-and-hers hydrotherapy facilities each have a vitality pool, aroma-steam room, sauna, ice fountain and experience showers.
Verb
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This practice carries risks, such as choking and aspiration, or food entering the airway.
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Historically, modest fires every seven to 20 years kept forests from being overgrown and choked with highly flammable dead wood and brush, Williams said.
Verb
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Record-setting heat is suspected in 25 deaths from the Deep South to the Midwest to the East Coast, authorities said, with the temperature highs also suppressing some Fourth of July celebrations.
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When coated onto a polypropylene separator with graphene, the material formed a thin interfacial layer that readily absorbed electrolyte while suppressing polysulfide migration.
Verb
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The rookie point guard overcame early shooting struggles to lead all scorers with 25 points.
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The telecommunications giant’s fight to end landline service is playing out in the FCC and federal court, amid an underlying battle over how much power the agency has to overcome decisions by states.
Noun
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On July 3, Arcade made its agent authorization and tool-execution runtime available through the Microsoft Azure and AWS marketplaces, so enterprises can deploy it inside their own cloud with one click.
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To try Adidas’s cloud-like designs for yourself, consider these Ultraboost running sneakers.
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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