the visible vapor and gases given off by a burning or smoldering substance, especially the gray, brown, or blackish mixture of gases and suspended carbon particles resulting from the combustion of wood, peat, coal, or other organic matter.
something resembling this, as vapor or mist, flying particles, etc.
something unsubstantial, evanescent, or without result.
Their hopes and dreams proved to be smoke.
an obscuring condition.
the smoke of controversy.
an act or spell of smoking something, especially tobacco.
They had a smoke during the intermission.
something for smoking, as a cigar or cigarette.
This is the best smoke on the market.
Slang. marijuana.
Slang. a homemade drink consisting of denatured alcohol and water.
Physics, Chemistry. a system of solid particles suspended in a gaseous medium.
a bluish or brownish gray color.
to give off or emit smoke, as in burning.
to give out smoke offensively or improperly, as a stove.
to send forth steam or vapor, dust, or the like.
to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of tobacco or the like, as from a pipe or cigarette.
Slang. to ride or travel with great speed.
Australian.
to flee.
to abscond.
to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of.
to smoke tobacco.
to use (a pipe, cigarette, etc.) in this process.
to expose to smoke.
to fumigate (rooms, furniture, etc.).
to cure (meat, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke.
to color or darken by smoke.
the product of combustion, consisting of fine particles of carbon carried by hot gases and air
any cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances, esp in a pipe or as a cigarette or cigar
the duration of smoking such substances
informal
a cigarette or cigar
a substance for smoking, such as pipe tobacco or marijuana
something with no concrete or lasting substance
everything turned to smoke
a thing or condition that obscures
any of various colours similar to that of smoke, esp a dark grey with a bluish, yellowish, or greenish tinge
to come to nothing
to burn up vigorously
to flare up in anger
(intr) to emit smoke or the like, sometimes excessively or in the wrong place
to draw in on (a burning cigarette, etc) and exhale the smoke
to use tobacco for smoking
slang (intr) to use marijuana for smoking
(tr) to bring (oneself) into a specified state by smoking
(tr) to subject or expose to smoke
(tr) to cure (meat, fish, cheese, etc) by treating with smoke
(tr) to fumigate or purify the air of (rooms, etc)
(tr) to darken (glass, etc) by exposure to smoke
slang (intr) to move, drive, ride, etc, very fast
obsolete (tr) to tease or mock
archaic (tr) to suspect or detect
before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English smoca; (v.) Middle English smoken, Old English smocian
The hazy gray cloud that floats in the air when something burns is smoke. Smoke is made up of tiny carbon particles. If you get lost in the woods, you can use the smoke from your campfire to guide you back to your tent — or you can just use the GPS on your smartphone. The saying "where there's smoke there's fire” means that there's always a reason for a rumor. The saying is literally true as well—when you set something on fire, it will begin to smoke. When something "goes up in smoke," it's either destroyed by fire or ruined as though it's been burned: "My dreams of being a magician went up in smoke after that rabbit trick went awry."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Italian stopped at Turn One on his first lap on the soft tyres, with smoke seeping out of the cooling vents on his engine cover.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
For more than a week after the fire began, residents in Boyle Heights and East L.A. endured acrid smoke as firefighters struggled to put out the flames.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Vegetation fires spreading beyond the immediate burn zone add perhaps hundreds of fatalities from burning, smoke inhalation and vehicle crashes.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Black smoke could be seen at King Khalid International Airport, in the latest escalation in the attacks targeting the kingdom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
The wind had strengthened, and powdery snow was streaming aver the ground like smoke.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Smoke particles scattered even more of the remaining blue wavelengths, intensifying the golden tones in the visible light surrounding the eclipsed Sun.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
The 2020 killing of Pop Smoke, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, occurred when Jester was 15 years old, according to a sentencing memo written by prosecutors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Smoke from some of the fires forced the closure of the M6 northbound between junctions five and six, causing more than two hours of delays.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Smoke swallows civilization while sparks fall around the baroque column of the Fuente de los Luceros.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
How did you get new shoes in the Smoke?
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
The son of a Yorkshire pig farmer, Brown smokes on the course - although is being extremely vigilant not to cause a fire-risk at Birkdale - and is covered in tattoos.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
And in a month, guess what, it’s there, and you’re gonna be like, ‘Holy smokes, I have it.’
From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026
One of L.A.’s pollution chiefs warned that “anyone who smokes a pipe, even, contributes to the smog menace.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
Combined, they’ve caught about a dozen fish, which Livingstone cuts into steaks and Jordan smokes on his grill.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
That was Gandalf’s mark, of course, and the old man was Gandalf the Wizard, whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his skill with fires, smokes, and lights.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
They’re surprisingly warm inside, and ours made a cozy setting for pork belly skewers, crab puffs and smoked cocktails.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
But they salvaged the inning when Teoscar Hernández drew a walk and Miguel Rojas smoked a single through the infield to tie the score.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
"It would be like smoked ham," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
His team created deli-style versions of some of his breakfast menu, including Earl Grey prunes and crumpets with smoked trout.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
From dawn to dusk he suffered like an animal in a trap, drank coffee, smoked, begged meals from the kitchen, and napped.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
"But while tackling health inequalities remains an issue, there are things that we can do about inflammation, including reducing risk factors like smoking and obesity."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
For now, however, doctors suggest that Americans address their heart health with tried-and-true methods like exercising more, not smoking, and controlling their blood pressure, according to Caprio.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Then came what appeared to be the evidentiary smoking gun: a lettuce sample that tested positive for Cyclospora.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Twenty years ago, the hot topics were a smoking ban and carving out space for traditional Bavarian music.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
A blast of lightning split the tree down to its roots, opening a smoking crevice.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
