Smothering - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Smothering means covering or suffocating someone or something completely, often leading to discomfort or lack of air. It can also describe overwhelming attention that feels restrictive.
Definition:
To suffocate or overwhelm someone or something, often by covering or restricting.
Synonyms:
suffocating, stifling, choking, suppressing
Part of Speech:
verb, adjective
Antonyms:
freeing, liberating
Common Collocations:
smothering heat, smothering love, smothering blanket
Derivatives:
smothered, smotherer
Usage Tips:
Use "smothering" to describe overwhelming pressure or excessive attention that feels restrictive.
Common Phrases:
smothering with kindness, smothering the flames, smothering a yawn
Etymology:
From Old English "smorian," meaning to suffocate or stifle; related to Dutch "smoren."
Examples:
- 1. The baby cried when the blanket started smothering her face.
- 2. His overprotective parents were smothering his independence.
- 3. She felt trapped in the smothering heat of the small room.
- 4. He tried smothering the fire with a wet towel.