as in suffocating
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in strangling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifling
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 burying
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
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 smothering
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 May 2026
The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
There’s probably a smart, chilling film to be made about the terrors of smothering and relentless adoration — one imagines what Rod Serling would have done with something like this — but this isn’t really that film.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 May 2026
More recently, massive desalination plants, which often double as electric power plants, have been dumping hot brine that rapidly sinks, smothering life at the Gulf’s bottom, Riegl says.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Plants grow rapidly in spring, smothering weeds and feeding the soil.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Though Edwards and DiVincenzo are their two best 3-point shooters and offensive creators, a revival of the smothering defense that fueled the rally in Game 2 and blowout wins in Games 3 and 4 will be the biggest key to the Timberwolves taking the series.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Wallstedt polished off the first Stars' power play by snapping his glove around Mikko Rantanen's shot and smothering Esa Lindell's bad-angle attempt.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Pete Sampras and John McEnroe used their power serves and smothering net games.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 May 2026
The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
There’s probably a smart, chilling film to be made about the terrors of smothering and relentless adoration — one imagines what Rod Serling would have done with something like this — but this isn’t really that film.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 May 2026
More recently, massive desalination plants, which often double as electric power plants, have been dumping hot brine that rapidly sinks, smothering life at the Gulf’s bottom, Riegl says.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Plants grow rapidly in spring, smothering weeds and feeding the soil.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Though Edwards and DiVincenzo are their two best 3-point shooters and offensive creators, a revival of the smothering defense that fueled the rally in Game 2 and blowout wins in Games 3 and 4 will be the biggest key to the Timberwolves taking the series.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Wallstedt polished off the first Stars' power play by snapping his glove around Mikko Rantanen's shot and smothering Esa Lindell's bad-angle attempt.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering
Adjective
-
This matchup features two ascendant young stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama (who finished first and third in MVP voting, respectively), exciting young talent, a legitimate regional rivalry and two suffocating defenses.—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
-
While any great defense needs the proper personnel to be effective, Jenkins effectively leveraged the Grizzlies’ personnel to create one of the NBA’s most suffocating defenses.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Now the road blocks strangling La Paz have entered their fourth week.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
-
Prosecutors accuse Farwell of strangling Birchmore to death in February 2021 inside her Canton apartment.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Players from the top European teams, like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, had already played sixty matches during their regular seasons, before taking to pitches in heat-dome temperatures of ninety-seven degrees and stifling humidity.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Everyone was very, very, very religious, but specifically Christianity and Catholicism, which in my opinion are very stifling religions that are very God-fearing.—
Louis Staples,
Glamour,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The utility's Storm Secure Underground Program, launched after Hurricane Irma in 2017, focuses on making the power grid more resilient by burying power lines underground and reinforcing critical overhead infrastructure.—
Shane Hinton,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
For weeks, strikes by the United States and Israel restricted Iran’s access to its underground missile sites by destroying roads and burying tunnel entrances.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Another indigenous leader says another Gran Tierra practice is the most oppressive issue — gas flaring.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
People were craving the culture and art that had been suppressed during his oppressive reign.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Now she is stuck with three long term leases choking her cash flow like a noose around her neck.—
George Deeb,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
Keaton’s friend, director Dennis Dugan, was at risk of choking to death when a bit of food got lodged in his throat.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Identifying and naming my jealousy has done far more for me than suppressing it ever did.—
Meehika Barua,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
The platform then identifies what is suppressing that number and maps a concrete path to close it, whether through negotiation positioning, skill prioritization or career moves that maximize earning trajectory.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
One lawmaker Lackey’s unofficial bill title wasn’t lost upon was Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D-Jefferson Park, a lawmaker who has spoken publicly about overcoming systemic barriers in his own life as a Black man and has centered his political career largely on criminal justice reform.—
Andrew Graham
May 28,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
-
That’s because the Phillies (29-27) stand as a serious threat in the wild-card races, and overcoming the Dodgers in the West race just isn’t realistic.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
