smother

transitive-verb
UK: /ˈsmʌðər/
US: /ˈsmʌðər/

  1. To kill someone by covering their face so that they cannot breathe.

    1. He tried to smother her with a pillow.
    2. The dictator sought to smother all opposition through censorship and intimidation.

  2. To prevent something from developing or being expressed.

    1. Don't smother your child; give them some space to grow.
    2. The new regulations threaten to smother innovation in the tech industry.

  3. To cover something completely.

    1. The town was smothered in thick fog.
    2. The steak was smothered with onions and mushrooms.

Synonyms

cover repress suffocate envelop suppress
smother intransitive-verb

  1. To feel trapped and oppressed.

    1. I feel like I'm going to smother in this small town.
    2. He started to smother under the weight of his responsibilities.
smother noun

  1. A thick cloud of something that makes it difficult to breathe or see.

    1. A smother of smoke filled the room.
    2. The city was shrouded in a smother of smog.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "smother" in English means: To kill someone by covering their face so that they cannot breathe., To prevent something from developing or being expressed., To cover something completely..

The phonetic transcription of "smother" is /ˈsmʌðər/ in British English and /ˈsmʌðər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "smother": cover, repress, suffocate, envelop, suppress.

Example usage of "smother": "He tried to smother her with a pillow.". More examples on the page.