noun

smothering

Smothering (noun) means the act of covering or suppressing something so completely it cannot breathe, grow, or develop. Example: “The smothering of the small campfire took only a bucket of water.”

noun

The act of covering or suppressing something so completely it cannot breathe, grow, or develop.

"The smothering of the small campfire took only a bucket of water."

adjective

Overwhelming and stifling, especially describing heat, attention, or control.

"The smothering humidity made it hard to sleep."

"Her mother's smothering concern left her no room to make her own decisions."

How to use smothering

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes something so intense or overprotective that it feels stifling.

Common pairings

smothering heat smothering attention

Word forms

smotherings plural

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The _____ of the small campfire took only a bucket of water.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English smorþering.

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for smothering

peering tapering lowering covering offering entering altering cheering steering uttering ordering towering

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Frequently asked questions

What does “smothering” mean?

The word “smothering” means the act of covering or suppressing something so completely it cannot breathe, grow, or develop. In plain terms, describes something so intense or overprotective that it feels stifling.

How do you use “smothering” in a sentence?

Here is “smothering” used in a sentence: “The smothering of the small campfire took only a bucket of water.”

What part of speech is “smothering”?

Depending on how it is used, “smothering” can be a noun and an adjective.

How many meanings does “smothering” have?

“Smothering” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of covering or suppressing something so completely it cannot breathe, grow, or develop.