smoke

1 of 2

noun

ˈsmōk 

1

a

: the gaseous products of burning materials especially of organic origin made visible by the presence of small particles of carbon

b

: a suspension of particles in a gas

2

a

: a mass or column of smoke

b

: smudge

3

: fume or vapor often resulting from the action of heat on moisture

4

: something of little substance, permanence, or value

5

: something that obscures

6

a(1)

: something (such as a cigarette) to smoke

(2)

: marijuana sense 2

b

: an act of smoking tobacco

especially : a smoking break

7

a

: a pale blue

b

: any of the colors of smoke

8

: pitches that are fastballs

if a guy's going to hit you … he certainly isn't going to throw a spitter—he gives you smoke

—Tony Conigliaro

smokeless

ˈsmō-kləs 

adjective

smokelike

ˈsmōk-ˌlīk 

adjective

smoke

2 of 2

verb

smoked; smoking; smokes

intransitive verb

1

a

: to emit or exhale smoke

b

: to emit excessive smoke

2

archaic : to undergo punishment : suffer

3

: to spread or rise like smoke

4

: to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco

especially : to smoke tobacco habitually

transitive verb

1

a

: fumigate

b

: to drive (something, such as mosquitoes) away by smoke

c

: to blacken or discolor with smoke

smoked glasses

d

: to cure or flavor by exposure to smoke

smoked ham

They smoked a rack of ribs.

… offers, among other things, a flavorful sirloin steak and barbecued smoked chicken.

—Andy Birsh

e

: to stupefy (insects, such as bees) by smoke

2

archaic : suspect

3

: to inhale and exhale the smoke of

smoke a cigarette

4

archaic : ridicule

5

slang : kill sense 1a

6

slang : to defeat or surpass decisively

7

: to hit (something, such as a baseball) with great force

Synonyms

Verb

• annihilate
• blow away
• bomb
• bury
• clobber
• cream
• drub
• dust
• flatten
• paste
• rout
• shellac
• skin
• skunk
• smother
• snow under
• thrash
• trim
• tromp
• trounce
• wallop
• wax [slang]
• whip
• whomp
• whop
• whap
• whup

Examples of smoke in a Sentence

Noun

Smoke from the campfire stung my eyes.

We could see black smoke from the house fire.

Can I bum a few smokes off you?

Verb

I caught her smoking a cigarette.

He was thrown out of school for smoking marijuana.

She smokes and drinks, but I don't.

Do you mind if I smoke in here?

That old car smokes when you start it up.

the smoking remains of a fire

We smoke our hams over hickory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Outdoor air is often suffused with formaldehyde gas from cars, smoke, factories, and oil and gas extraction, sometimes at worrying levels that are predicted to worsen with climate change. —Sharon Lerner and Al Shaw, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024

This torch is strong, which helps push the smoke down. —Andrew Watman, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2024

Verb

Besides the requisite onion, garlic, broth, and smoked pork, one ingredient in particular will take your greens (and their delicious potlikker) to a whole new level. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2024

Meanwhile, Imperioli’s Malcolm seems shocked when Leonard shares a story about smoking on a plane. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English smoca; akin to Old English smēocan to emit smoke, Middle High German smouch smoke, and probably to Greek smychein to smolder

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing smoke

• anti-smoke
• a smoke
• blow smoke
• chain-smoke
• cold-smoke
• go up in smoke
• holy smoke
• put/stick that in your pipe and smoke it
• secondhand smoke
• smoke and mirrors
• smoke bomb
• smoke detector
• smoke-filled room
• smoke-free
• smoke grenade
• smoke inhalation
• smoke jumper
• smoke like a chimney
• smoke out
• smoke point
• smoke screen
• smoke tree
• there's no smoke without fire
• where there's smoke, there's fire

Kids Definition

smoke

1 of 2 noun

ˈsmōk 

1

: the gas of burning materials (as coal, wood, or tobacco) made visible by small particles of carbon floating in it

2

: a mass or column of smoke

3

: something that has little substance or value or that doesn't last very long

4

: something that hides

5

a

: something to smoke (as a cigarette)

b

: an act of smoking tobacco

smokelike

ˈsmō-ˌklīk 

adjective

smoke

2 of 2 verb

smoked; smoking

1

a

: to give off or exhale smoke

b

: to give off too much smoke

2

a

: to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco

b

: to use in smoking

smoke a pipe

3

a

: to drive away by smoke

b

: to blacken or discolor with smoke

c

: to use smoke to give (as meat or cheese) flavor and keep from spoiling

smoker noun

Medical Definition

smoke

verb

ˈsmōk 

smoked; smoking

intransitive verb

: to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco

especially : to smoke tobacco habitually

transitive verb

: to inhale and exhale the smoke of

smoked 30 cigarettes a day