SMOTHERS Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

smothers 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of smother

as in strangles

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stifles

to refrain from openly showing or uttering he quickly smothered his inappropriate laughter at the funeral ceremony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in buries

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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smothers

2 of 2

noun

plural of smother

as in steams

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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 smothers

Verb

The circumstances are objectively potent — but Udofia smothers them in such a barrage of cutesiness and self-conscious signalling that a wall rises between us and the play. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026 Instead, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma rushes out and smothers the ball. — Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 This barrier smothers dormant weed seeds and breaks down into rich soil by spring. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026 The writing — and its sometimes baffling aversion to the source material — is at the heart of the problem, but there’s plenty of blame to go around, from hammy acting to a cartoonish tone that smothers the whole affair. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026 Up in the attic, a melty miasma smothers the thick winter coats, which hurt me to even look at. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026 But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent. — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 23 May 2026 Carson smothers it over a crisp and shattering tortilla with tart pickled jalapeño, silky avocado crema and a blizzard of cotija cheese. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026 Once in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens, the plant depletes potassium necessary for plant health and smothers low-growing plants. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smothers

Verb

Left with only her hands to fight off Seema, uh … Julia strangles her to death.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
More news Heat sets new records as oppressive humidity strangles Southern California.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of strangles

Verb

Perhaps her biggest challenge is combating the misconception that cystic fibrosis has been cured, which stifles investment into new treatments.

— Gerry Smith, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Opponents argue the proposal weakens environmental protections, stifles community input and could fast-track projects like data centers and freeways.

— Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of stifles

Noun

Expect sunshine with a few clouds and winds from the southeast at 10 to 15 mph, gusting up to 20 mph, on Wednesday afternoon.

— Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
The rain, along with clouds, will keep temperatures in the low to mid-70s on Tuesday, before another chance of rain late Tuesday night, according to the weather service.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of clouds

Verb

And not to stress anybody out further, but high cortisol suppresses your immune system and increases inflammation, both of which lead to things like quicker aging and poor long-term health outcomes.

— Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
In recent years, the unit has been the target of public scrutiny for their aggressive response and policing of demonstrations, with some critics saying the unit suppresses people’s right to free speech.

— Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of suppresses

Verb

Coffee grounds settle into these gaps, creating a layer that suffocates the roots and leads to root rot.

— Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026
Amazon also faces another sweeping lawsuit by the FTC and 17 states that paints the company as a monopolist that suffocates competitors and raises costs for both sellers and shoppers.

— Alina Selyukh, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of suffocates

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smothering

smothers

smudge

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“Smothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smothers. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of smothers

verb

noun

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