Smothered

Pronunciation: /ˈsmʌðərd/

Definitions of smothered

verb to kill (someone) by covering their nose and mouth so that they suffocate; to extinguish (a fire) by depriving it of oxygen; to cover or envelop completely

Example Sentences

A1 The mother smothered her baby with kisses.

A2 The chef smothered the steak with gravy before serving it.

B1 The detective smothered the suspect with questions during the interrogation.

B2 The politician was smothered with criticism after his controversial statement.

C1 The celebrity felt smothered by the constant attention from the paparazzi.

C2 The company was smothered with lawsuits after the product recall.

Examples of smothered in a Sentence

formal The victim was found smothered to death in her own home.

informal I can't eat this sandwich, it's smothered in mayonnaise.

slang My roommate smothered the living room with his dirty clothes.

figurative The overbearing mother smothered her child with constant attention.

Grammatical Forms of smothered

• past tense: smothered
• plural: smothers
• comparative: more smothered
• superlative: most smothered
• present tense: smother
• future tense: will smother
• perfect tense: have smothered
• continuous tense: is smothering
• singular: smother
• positive degree: smothered
• infinitive: to smother
• gerund: smothering
• participle: smothered

Origin and Evolution of smothered

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'smothered' originated from the Middle English word 'smortheren' which came from Old English 'smorian' meaning to suffocate or stifle.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'smothered' has retained its original meaning of suffocating or stifling, but it has also come to be used in a more figurative sense to describe being overwhelmed or covered in something, such as love or attention.