SMOTHERING Synonyms: 200 Similar and Opposite Words

smothering 1 of 2

adjective

as in suffocating

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Dissimilar Words

smothering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of smother

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

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

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

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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

Verb

And none of the many alternative remedies for treating lice – such as smothering them with mayonnaise or oil, dehydrating them with saline or hot air, or zapping them with an electronic comb – have proven to be effective. — Emily J. C. Wong, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 There’s the brutal heat; the skin destroying UV-rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that NEVER let up; the smothering humidity. — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 There’s the brutal heat; the skin-destroying UV rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that never let up; the smothering humidity. — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 The Minnesota defense stopped Love on a sneak, and from that point on, the defense was smothering, applying pressure at the perfect time. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 Wildfires are ripping across parts of Indonesia, destroying precious peatland and smothering the country in a toxic smoke so thick, people are struggling to breathe. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 Leaning on her and wrapping her body around her, almost smothering. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026 Hentges was accused of smothering his wife, Cheryl, 70, with a pillow in July 2024. — Christina Hall, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2026 The Trojans posted their first shutout since 2024, smothering the Bulldogs with two safeties, four sacks and long stretches without yielding a yard, first down or rhythm. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothering

Adjective

Scientists suspect that the combination of high heat and a suffocating deep-tropical air mass will be considered the worst humidity the region has experienced in the modern era.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Eilish will play Greenwood, the brilliant young woman at the center of Plath’s semi-autobiographical story, which follows her descent into mental illness amid the suffocating expectations placed on women in 1950s America.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of suffocating

Verb

Wandering further afield, Wright recounts the case of Walker Railey, a Methodist minister accused of strangling his wife and leaving her in a vegetative state.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Prosecutors said Navarrete got his parents into the garage and struck both his mother and father on the head with an object, before strangling them to death while facing them.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of strangling

Verb

The worm, however impossible to miss, is shoved, bumped, and pushed around with everyone else in the stifling subway car.

— Deadline, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
The Canal+ Group’s shuttering of the Showmax streaming service earlier this year was just the latest example of how a distribution chokepoint is stifling Africa’s creative boom.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of stifling

Verb

The Florida woman accused of killing her boyfriend and burying him in a shallow grave was found guilty of his murder.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
The limits of burying the bad news Each of these interventions, whether reckless, self-destructive trade barriers, massive military invasions, or offensive divisive speeches, soaks up attention.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of burying

Adjective

Resident's death under investigation The Middlesex County District Attorney's office, as well as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, are examining whether the oppressive heat played any role in the resident's death.

— Kristina Rex, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
The combination was as oppressive as the thermometer reading.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of oppressive

Verb

Biddy covered most of the journey on foot—the equivalent of about six million steps—herding animals at the rear of her owner’s wagon company and choking her way through a moving screen of dust kicked up by the migrant caravan.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
On top of store closures and unsold inventory, the company was choking on enormous debt from a private equity buyout in 2014.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of choking

Verb

Embracing uncertainty does not mean ignoring danger, suppressing disappointment or insisting that every setback is positive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
In addition to suppressing screen tearing, the Pro upgrade adds color and luminance certification as well as HDR compatibility.

— Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of suppressing

Verb

Others discussed overcoming the initial awkwardness of the work and finding satisfaction in helping doctors become more competent and compassionate.

— Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026
These productions focused on accessibility, particularly for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, rather than overcoming language barriers.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of overcoming

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Style

“Smothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothering. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of smothering

adjective

verb

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