smolder
verb (used without object)
to burn without flame; undergo slow or suppressed combustion.
has been smoldering
-
present perfect progressiveof smolder (3rd person singular).present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A vast canyon of buried garbage has been smoldering inside a landfill in the Santa Clarita Valley, inducing geysers of liquid waste onto the surface and noxious fumes into the air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025
For nearly two years, trash has been smoldering in a long-dormant portion of Chiquita Canyon due to the rare chemical reaction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2024
A fire in one of the port’s two silos has been smoldering for the past two weeks due to 800 tons of grain inside fermenting in the hot weather.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 22, 2022
“It’s usually something that has been smoldering for a while. And then when it does get bad enough, they have nowhere to go and they end up spending days to weeks in the emergency department.”
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 2, 2022
She squashes out her cigarette, which has been smoldering in the ashtray.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
