to smother
39
6.0
- verb
- /ˈsmʌðər/
:
contener
- His anger was so intense that the words seemed to smother in his throat.
Examples
-
Any noise the horse made down here was smothered by the roar of the water.
Fiction book (1998) -
And right now those mistakes are beginning to pile up on you and in a little while they're gonna smother you.
-
"Joey! Joey!" she said, trying to smother me in a hug.
Fiction book (1997) -
Maybe, but every time I look up there, I get a feeling I'm being smothered.
-
The night seemed to press down on him, smothering, the air heavy and oppressive.
Fiction book (1992) -
Fear was like a blanket; it smothered everything else, smoothing out the things I thought about.
Fiction book (1997) -
Margaret tried to sleep, but she heard scuffling feet and smothered giggles at the foot of her bed.
Fiction book (1992) -
Modern society has smothered our true selves, and driven us from biological destiny.
-
The buzzing of the intercom jolted Isabelle back from the smothering pangs of hopeless regret.
Fiction book (1998) -
She tried to smother her laughter during the serious meeting.
Synonyms
108
4.2
Keep yourself from showing feelings or telling others
88
5.8
To hold back feelings or reactions
75
6.6
Keep strong feelings or memories from coming into the mind
72
4.6
Keep strong feelings under control so you do not act on them
65
4.5
To stop yourself from showing strong feelings
64
5.8
To make a sound or feeling quieter so it is less noticeable
49
5.3
To hold back a feeling or reaction so it does not show
33
6.7
To limit growth or activity so it cannot continue
24
5.6
To keep strong feelings inside instead of telling others
16
4.4
Make something less strong or noticeable, for example sound and feeling
11
7.8
Completely stop protests or criticism
7
6.1
To stop a feeling or action completely
5
5.7
Reduce the strength of feelings or public anger
4
7.0
Stop yourself from showing a feeling when you want to cry
4
5.1
Stop yourself from showing an emotion like tears or laughter
2
7.7
To stop yourself from showing strong feelings like sadness or anger
To hide your feelings so others cannot see them
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
To give someone so much care and affection that they feel overwhelmed
How Suppressed
39
6.0
75
6.6
49
5.3
88
5.8
72
4.6
108
4.2
Surface Forms
Etymology
A helpful way to remember smother is to think of covering a feeling so it cannot 'breathe' or show itself. So to smother an emotion is to hold it back or stop it from coming out.