Pronunciation: /ˈsmʌðər/

Definitions of smother

noun a condition of being stifled or suppressed

Example Sentences

A1 She felt a smother of anxiety as she waited for the exam results.

A2 The cozy blanket provided a smother of warmth on the cold night.

B1 The thick smoke created a smother in the room, making it hard to breathe.

B2 The overprotective mother's constant smother of attention was suffocating for her teenage daughter.

C1 The government's attempt to smother the protests only fueled the fire of resistance.

C2 Her love for him was like a smother, enveloping him in a blanket of warmth and security.

verb to kill someone by covering their face so that they cannot breathe, or to die in this way

Example Sentences

A1 The mother smothered her baby with kisses.

A2 The blanket smothered the fire before it could spread.

B1 She felt smothered by the responsibilities of her new job.

B2 The dictator tried to smother any opposition to his rule.

C1 The media coverage smothered the scandal, preventing it from gaining traction.

C2 The overprotective parents smothered their child, hindering his independence.

Examples of smother in a Sentence

formal The mother decided to smother her child with kisses before bedtime.

informal I can't believe she tried to smother her fries in ketchup!

slang He was so annoying, I wanted to smother him with a pillow.

figurative The overwhelming workload seemed to smother her creativity.

Grammatical Forms of smother

past tense

smothered

plural

smothers

comparative

more smothering

superlative

most smothering

present tense

smothers

future tense

will smother

perfect tense

has smothered

continuous tense

is smothering

singular

smother

positive degree

smother

infinitive

to smother

gerund

smothering

participle

smothered

Origin and Evolution of smother

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'smother' originated from the Old English word 'smorian' which meant to suffocate or stifle.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'smother' has retained its meaning of suffocating or stifling, but has also come to be used in a more metaphorical sense to describe overwhelming or suppressing something.