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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of smother
Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
South Grand Prairie smothers Richardson to move on South Grand Prairie got 19 points from Janae Johnson to lead the Warriors to a 41-26 drubbing of Richardson in a Class 6A Division I bi-district game on Monday.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Noun
The pieces knit together to form a cast iron surface that sheds water, smothers weeds and holds up for a long time.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
South Grand Prairie smothers Richardson to move on South Grand Prairie got 19 points from Janae Johnson to lead the Warriors to a 41-26 drubbing of Richardson in a Class 6A Division I bi-district game on Monday.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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Autopsies determined that Shine was strangled and Carse died from sharp force trauma, the police department said.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
-
Nate comes back to life and strangles Cassie in a dark green Bottega Veneta suit, then Maddy saves her.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
But rights groups have criticized the term as it may be discretionarily applied to a broad swath of activities and could be used to stifle freedoms.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
3 June 2026
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Micromanagement stifles creativity, motivation, and productivity.—
Maria Ross,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Keep the language concrete and avoid burying the point under explanation.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
This is a racist absurdity in addition to being an impossible read of the Constitution, which is perhaps why the Roberts Court has buried it under so many layers of obfuscation.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Turn off the heat and let steam, covered, 5 minutes more.—
Emily Weinstein,
Twin Cities,
4 June 2026
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Nam grew up in a rural Northern Vietnamese village watching his grandmother treat illness with mugwort steam and herbal bundles.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Hilton has raised crucial issues about Newsom’s overspending, low state K-12 test scores, high taxes choking the middle class, high gas prices and the endemic housing and homelessness crises.—
John Seiler,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
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As discomforting as that sounds, there is no proof the 7-foot, 9-inch dolphin choked to death, according to Lauren Rust, executive director of the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network and South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Economists have cautioned that the US-Israeli war with Iran and the related oil and supply shock could suppress hiring activity in the United States.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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His puck-moving play was completely suppressed in the offensive zone, too.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Everyone has a personal obstacle, but not everyone can overcome and survive those obstacles.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
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Over time, however, your pancreas may no longer be able to produce enough insulin to overcome insulin resistance.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Unusual cloud formations took shape above Houston’s highways on Tuesday.—
Ben Noll,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
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Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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