1
as in strangles
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifles
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 buries
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothers
Verb
-
What worked at ten employees strangles progress at one hundred.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025 -
At that point, both Hsiao-Lee’s life and our perspective open up toward something more hopeful, even if plenty of turmoil — including another unbearable scene in which Chiang nearly strangles Chuan to death — continues back home.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This cycle of reactionary leadership not only stifles innovation but also erodes trust and morale within organizations.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Rather than unlocking potential, this approach stifles initiative, fuels frustration, and drives out talent.—
Liz Teran,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Decades of work is on the line as the administration strips funding, guts agencies, scrubs resources and buries datasets.—
Zack Savitsky,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Perhaps even worse is the horrifying relatability, as the bereaved father ignores the warnings and buries his dead child in an ancient burial ground.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Hybrid-resilient architecture—local backups that can kick in like muscle memory when the cloud chokes.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
On the ground, there’s a war of grappling, chokes, and limb breaks, and Oliveira is one of the best to ever fight it.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
And how a democratic society responds to its leaders can make the difference between a free society and one in which a leader increasingly suppresses the voices, rights and will of the governed.—
Karrin Vasby Anderson,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The partner who suppresses becomes less visible in the relationship.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, the new fuel cell overcomes this challenge with its lightweight design.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Saginaw’s surge overcomes Boswell The Pioneers of Boswell dominated play in the opening half, building a 21-0 lead that looked rock solid behind a persistent defense and an offense balanced with good running and passing.—
Pat Wheeler,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Just like particles behave differently when observed, your business suffocates under micromanagement.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Rather than conjuring a mood of bracing inexorability, this linear focus only suffocates what might be an interesting debate, as a man of the modern world weighs his values against those of a woman raised in atavistic isolation.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Taroko Gorge, however, carves breathtaking grandeur from marble stone; a natural cathedral of cliffs, where suspension bridges sway above rapids and swallows dart through narrow canyons.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Neurocysticercosis occurs after a person swallows pork tapeworm eggs, according to the CDC.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Smothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothers. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share