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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of smother
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 2 Dec. 2024
Turkey smothered in gravy with clam stuffing is the triumph of fish and fowl.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 28 Nov. 2024
Lisa S. Gardiner, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024
Vargas thwarted Argentina again, making a diving save to smother Nicolás González’s one-timer.
—Steven Goff, Washington Post, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for smother 
Verb
Their defense, led by Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey, delivered a valiant effort against one of the league’s best teams but could not smother Saquon Barkley forever.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 2 Dec. 2024
Turkey smothered in gravy with clam stuffing is the triumph of fish and fowl.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
Dark and rotund with spines radiating in all directions, some as long as knitting needles, the urchins eat massive amounts of algae that would otherwise smother corals or prevent coral larvae from affixing to rocks and growing into colonies.
—Lisa S. Gardiner, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024
Vargas thwarted Argentina again, making a diving save to smother Nicolás González’s one-timer.
—Steven Goff, Washington Post, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for smother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smother
Verb
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But for all the glamour that fills The Friday Afternoon Club, there’s a tragedy that anchors it: in 1982, the author’s sister Dominique was strangled.Annabel Gutterman, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
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The pretty girl killed by a boyfriend, the C.E.O. shot on the street, the subway dancer strangled by the ex-marine.Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Bureaucracy has also stifled innovation even when its military utility is obvious.Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
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Leaders who avoid conflict breed mediocrity and stifle innovation and creativity.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Potted plants can also be buried in the soil, container and all, to provide winter insulation.Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
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Glutamatergic neurons buried deep in the LH emerged as strong and unexpected contenders.Michael Irving, New Atlas, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Topping that list was the luxurious spa that included several pools, two saunas, a steam room, and a myriad of services from facials to massage.Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 7 Dec. 2024
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There’s a private spa with a steam room and cold plunge, and a gym is stocked with a Pilates reformer, a Peloton bike and other high-end workout equipment.Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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On Saturday night in the main event of UFC 310, Pantoja dismantled the Japanese newcomer, finally choking him out in the second round for the submission victory and a third successful defense of his UFC flyweight title.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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A week of fierce pro-European Union protests have choked the capital Tbilisi.David Brennan, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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His beautiful, distant mother, played by the French-Argentinean actress Bérénice Bejo, treats these outbursts as insurrections to be suppressed.Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
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Harry is doing his best to keep Dexter from killing people, though Dex acknowledges that slicing into cadavers and taking hunting trips aren’t really cutting it in terms of suppressing his urges.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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However, any prospective investors will have to overcome a significant mental hurdle: namely, Armour’s horrific dividend track record.Brett Owens, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
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But the Voyager team has become increasingly creative to keep both probes flying, and soon, the challenges may be too great to overcome.Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The open cluster Westerlund 1 is located roughly 12,000 light-years away, residing behind a huge interstellar cloud of gas and dust.Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 14 Dec. 2024
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Thicker mid-level to high clouds will spread over the region through daybreak.Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near smother
Cite this Entry
“Smother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smother. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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