Meaning & use
smothered
To cover someone or something completely, especially so thickly that air, light, or growth is blocked.
See it in a sentence
The chef smothered the chicken in a rich, creamy sauce before serving it.
Firefighters smothered the flames with a heavy blanket to cut off their oxygen supply.
A note on using this word
Often used both literally, as in blocking airflow, and figuratively, as in being smothered with affection or attention.
Words with a similar meaning
suffocatedcovered
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To kill someone by covering their nose and mouth so they cannot breathe.
The detective suspected the victim had been smothered with a pillow while asleep.
Make it your own
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