- a variation of smolder.
smoulder
Americanverb (used without object)
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smoulders,
present (3rd person singular)
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smouldered,
past participle, past
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smouldering
present participle
verb
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to burn slowly without flame, usually emitting smoke
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(esp of anger, etc) to exist in a suppressed or half-suppressed state
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to have strong repressed or half repressed feelings, esp anger
noun
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dense smoke, as from a smouldering fire
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a smouldering fire
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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smouldersimple
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smoulderssimple
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have smoulderedperfect
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has smoulderedperfect
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am smoulderingprogressive
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are smoulderingprogressive
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is smoulderingprogressive
-
have been smoulderingperfect progressive
-
has been smoulderingperfect progressive
Past
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smoulderedsimple
-
had smoulderedperfect
-
was smoulderingprogressive
-
were smoulderingprogressive
-
had been smoulderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of smoulder
C14: from smolder (n), of obscure origin
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.
See Examples For:
Once people realized that the authorities had not acted in their best interest, resentment began to smoulder.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 17, 2022
Much of the fire was doused by late on Sunday but authorities said the site will continue to smoulder in the coming days.
From Reuters ● Aug. 8, 2021
According to filmmaker Paul Mothersole, who has studied the tragedy for 15 years, the film operator spotted a reel of nitrocellulose film which had begun to smoulder.
From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2019
Yet the remnants of what just a generation ago were vast swathes of virgin rainforest still smoulder and flame.
From Economist ● Sep. 10, 2015
In the centre of the town the bonfire was beginning to smoulder.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
More than a million Muslims are gathering in Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage overshadowed by the Middle East war, as animosity smoulders across the region despite a fragile ceasefire.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
That brief explanation understandably underplays the aching sadness that smoulders under the surface of his songs.
From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2026
Another weekend of financial firefighting has doused the whole interest rate horizon as the banking blaze smoulders.
From Reuters ● Mar. 20, 2023
The trailer has some sleek and dazzling scenes in Thailand, and Gosling smoulders radioactively.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 18, 2013
No matter what the fire and force of his passion, it falters eventually, and forever after smoulders or goes out.
From The Ragged Edge by Harold MacGrath
A bank in the Badaro neighbourhood smouldered as firefighters sprayed water, while riot police stood nearby with shields.
From Reuters ● Feb. 16, 2023
In all, six provinces in Sumatra were put on “emergency alert” as hundreds of “hotspots” of burning trees and vegetation flared and smouldered.
From Economist ● Sep. 10, 2015
They smouldered through the winter's frost, waiting for a spark to reignite.
From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2015
Later, as London smouldered, the irony of the Clash – a band forever associated with riot and protest – being on the cover of NME again was all too obvious.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 14, 2011
Here there was a proper fireplace, richly carved with the arms and supporters of Benwick, and half a tree smouldered in the grate.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
The war has also continued to spread, sucking in and reigniting Yemen's smouldering civil war.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
"I've never seen scenes like this in Britain, where you just see a whole house gutted, smouldering," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
From damaged port infrastructure to listing ships with bridges blackened and containers still smouldering, the evidence is everywhere.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Large areas of scorched terrain still concealed active and smouldering pockets that could quickly reignite if the wind picks up again.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
The other firemen waited behind him, in the darkness, their faces illuminated faintly by the smouldering foundation.
From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury
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.
