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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smother
Caroline Blair, People.com, 3 May 2025
The dog couldn't stop jumping on Johnson, smothering him with love and kisses.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The youngster, making his first Argentina start, tries to round Sergio Rochet, but fails as the Uruguay goalkeeper smothers.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Verb
Aunt Linda visits her and smothers her to death with a pillow after Margaret admits to telling their family's secret.
—Caroline Blair, People.com, 3 May 2025
The dog couldn't stop jumping on Johnson, smothering him with love and kisses.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Two minutes in and Zidane looped a cross to Ronaldo — unmarked — but Lehmann was able to smother.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The youngster, making his first Argentina start, tries to round Sergio Rochet, but fails as the Uruguay goalkeeper smothers.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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Finally, things became so intense that Ishida developed a fascination for erotic asphyxiation, which is how Abe came to strangle him to death in a love hotel one night.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
14 May 2025
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Six children were allegedly beaten and strangled to the point of unconsciousness, among other forms of torture by their guardians and another adult at a Victorville home, with some of the abuse going back at least a decade, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Verb
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The intent, the critics have said, is in fact to stifle findings about the noxious content that is increasingly polluting social media and political discourse.—
Steven Lee Myers,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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Ventura described Combs’ psychological and physical abuse as ultimately demolishing her sense of self, stifling her career, and leading her to contemplate suicide.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Cause of death: There are several causes of death because Ulric receives the nine lives of a cat: shot in the head, drowned, hanged, car crash, electrocuted, crossbow, stabbed, suffocated after burying himself alive. Sad or satisfying?—
Carrie Wittmer,
Vulture,
19 May 2025
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The machine responded: one word, then another, and another—each new term inferred from the patterns buried in those seven thousand books.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Equipped with steam rooms, saunas and a two-lane lap pool, this polished space is gearing up for WorldPride with IV drips, HydraFacials, and eye and lip perks all available before the parade begins on June 7th.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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Studies show the therapy can support longevity, with cold (like ice baths, cold showers, and facial icing) and warm temperatures (like saunas, steam rooms, and hot baths) proven to slow aging, improve metabolic health, and lower the rate in which our cells die.—
Essence,
Essence,
16 May 2025
Verb
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That includes allegations that in 2024, Burgin would consistently put his hands on her—scratching, choking her, and slamming her head into a wall.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
19 May 2025
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The girl, whose family identified her as Lily, was driven to a remote location on the night of May 3, where her ex-boyfriend then assaulted her, choked her and threw her from a moving vehicle, the Star-Telegram previously reported.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 May 2025
Verb
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Eight engines, three water tenders, two dozers and one hand crew are working to suppress the fire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
26 May 2025
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And in 1955, the McGee Fire burned through much of Converse Basin, consuming second-growth sequoias and demonstrating the dangers of suppressing all fires.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
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During a stretch in which the Twins are outscoring opponents 68-29, the team is receiving contributions from just about everyone on the roster while concurrently overcoming the mounting injuries.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
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Yet amid the devastation, a few glimmers of hope remain—Palestine’s U-20 national women’s team recently won the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship, overcoming Jordan 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the final following a 1-1 draw.—
Samindra Kunti,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
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The rain and clouds will result in even cooler temperatures.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2025
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The resulting clouds can act as insulating layers in the atmosphere, often helping to reduce surface temperatures and also the extent of sea ice coverage around Antarctica.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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