smother
verb (used with object)
to stifle or suffocate, as by smoke or other means of preventing free breathing.
smothering
-
present participleof smother.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Lawmakers should not panic, he said, and should handle AI as they have past technologies without smothering American innovation.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Ms. Cline inhabits his thoughts in close third-person and though she writes in the past tense, her narration evokes an intimate, sometimes smothering feeling of presentness—of being confined within David’s immediate consciousness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Some species may have acted as fire ladders, helping flames move through the landscape while also crowding out and smothering other vegetation.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
Extra nutrients lead to the growth of algae, smothering seagrass beds, blocking sunlight and depleting the water of oxygen.
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
I hope I'm not about to spoil her with the wrongness that is smothering me.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
