smothered 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in choked

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2
as in muted

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smothered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of smother
1
as in strangled
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifled
to refrain from openly showing or uttering he quickly smothered his inappropriate laughter at the funeral ceremony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in buried
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

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 smothered
Adjective
Robust, malty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, this smothered cabbage recipe will warm your soul and delight your tastebuds. — Pableaux Johnson, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025 Breakfast is a treat, with made-from-scratch English muffins and housemade jams, plus heartier items like a smothered breakfast burrito. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 Outside of smothered biscuit sandwiches, District Biskuits also sells mac and cheese, chicken tenders with various dipping sauces, waffle fries and other sides. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026 The smothered steak biscuit is available to order in-store and online through January 2026, a Bojangles spokesperson told CharlotteFive. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025 Otherwise, Rhoda picks the red rice; Laurence and Oscar pick the hoppin’ John; Anthony and Brittany pick collard greens; Duyen and Brandon pick the smothered cabbage; Justin and Sherry pick potato salad; and Jonathan and Jennifer pick the hoecakes. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
One night in 1983, the two smothered Smith’s kitchen in corn kernels. — Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026 When doctors smothered it in ointment, about 45 larvae crawled out. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 Raquel got the early advantage and smothered Maxxine in the corner. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Dougherty led the criminal investigation that found two sources for the fire – an old fire that had been insufficiently smothered and Xcel power lines. — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 8 June 2026 Whether they’re smothered in pepper jelly, doused in barbecue sauce, or wrapped in bacon, appetizers are your chance to set the tone and impress your guests (because, let’s face it, nothing beats the satisfaction of compliments on your spread). — Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 28 June 2026 Scientists feared the Santa Monica Mountains’ last remaining steelhead trout were dead, smothered by debris flows unleashed by the Palisades fire. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 The Giants’ lineup smothered the Cubs’ pitchers, hitting seven home runs and scoring the first 16 runs of the game en route to an 18-3 walloping at Wrigley Field. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026 Brunson, smothered by the Spurs’ tenacious defense, missed shot after shot, but—clutch as ever—tied the game at 104 with an off-kilter jumper, then was in the right place to make the game-winning play when Wembanyama threw the ball away, and scored the game-winning point. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothered
  1. choked
  2. muted
  3. strangled
  4. stifled
  5. buried
  6. extinguished
  7. weak
  8. drowned
Adjective
  • Baghaei said the future of the choked Strait of Hormuz will depend on the countries of Oman and Iran, as both nations have a plan to manage passage through the waterway.
    — Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
  • San Franciscans who think Muni buses are always packed, or prone to crawl along choked streets, may find their views validated in a new slide presentation released by the Municipal Transportation Agency.
    — Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Jan. 2026
Definition of choked
Adjective
  • Even though Clinton’s remarks Saturday received muted response on cable news due to the heatwave and Trump’s excesses, online the former President deftly tapped into the shifts among Democrats for a more combative approach to curb MAGA.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 July 2026
  • Her bronzed makeup look consisted of taupe eyeshadow, black eyeliner, rosy cheeks, and a muted matte lip.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 3 July 2026
Definition of muted
Verb
  • Jackson had been beaten and strangled with the rope that had led the witness to her body.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
  • The empress returns to her chambers to weep, only to be strangled by a eunuch under the noble consort’s orders.
    — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Definition of strangled
Verb
  • Likewise, inventories of unsold wine have stifled any sense of buying urgency.
    — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • After feeling stifled in the corporate world, Gaudin said Inches has given him the freedom to embrace his creativity and show other LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs that ownership is possible.
    — Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 24 June 2026
Definition of stifled
Verb
  • However, at least 7,500 remain missing buried under the rubble, the Palestinian health ministry told CNN on June 28.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Would her child be buried in a separate part of the cemetery without the appropriate eulogies?
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of buried
Adjective
  • By the time volunteer firefighters from nearby Cachagua arrived, McCord estimated that the fire was about 70% extinguished.
    — Lucy Hodgman, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
  • That conditional pick, acquired in August’s salary dump of Haywood Highsmith, effectively has become extinguished.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of extinguished
Adjective
  • Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
    — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of weak
Verb
  • In the Stockyards, more than 5,000 head of livestock had drowned.
    — Kansas City Public Library staff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • Anne Arundel County fire officials are urging families to review pool safety after two young children drowned in separate residential pools last weekend.
    — Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of drowned

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smothered
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Cite this Entry

“Smothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothered. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on smothered

Nglish: Translation of smothered for Spanish Speakers

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