smoulder

[ smohl-der ]
See synonyms for: smouldersmouldering on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), noun

Other words from smoulder

  • un·smoul·der·ing, adjective
  • un·smoul·der·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby smoulder

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use smoulder in a sentence

  • The moon was like a wonderful white lantern in the purple sky; there was but a smoulder of stars.

  • It was strewn in a zigzag line, was lighted at one end, and allowed to smoulder away to the other.

  • Quite large logs could be slipped in and they would lie there and smoulder, lasting sometimes all night.

    A Little Girl in Old Salem | Amanda Minnie Douglas
  • Guillaume told me that he had known fires to smoulder on in grassy glens for weeks together.

    Wanderings in Patagonia | Julius Beerbohm
  • We lit our fire against its side, so that it soon began to smoulder and gave out a great heat.

British Dictionary definitions for smoulder

smoulder

US smolder

/ (ˈsməʊldə) /


verb(intr)
  1. to burn slowly without flame, usually emitting smoke

  2. (esp of anger, etc) to exist in a suppressed or half-suppressed state

  1. to have strong repressed or half repressed feelings, esp anger

noun
  1. dense smoke, as from a smouldering fire

  2. a smouldering fire

Origin of smoulder

1
C14: from smolder (n), of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012