smolder

or smoul·der

[ smohl-der ]

verb (used without object)

1. to burn without flame; undergo slow or suppressed combustion.
2. to exist or continue in a suppressed state or without outward demonstration:

   Hatred smoldered beneath a polite surface.

3. to display repressed feelings, as of indignation, anger, or the like:

   to smolder with rage.

noun

1. dense smoke resulting from slow or suppressed combustion.
2. a smoldering fire.

smolder

/ ˈsməʊldə /

verb

1. the US spelling of smoulder

Other Words From

• un·smolder·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of smolder¹

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English smolder smoky vapor, dissimilated variant of smorther smother; (v.) Middle English (as present participle smolderende ), derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

A plane dips low over a smoldering ridgetop and unleashes a ribbon of fire retardant, coating the hillside a bright pink.

From Los Angeles Times

Reports about water pressure issues and dry hydrants splashed across the evening news that night with images of smoldering homes in the background.

From Los Angeles Times

“Punish,” the latest offering from the Southern Gothic alt-pop star Ethel Cain, is a smoldering slow burn, a sparse piano ballad that stretches for nearly seven minutes and gradually corrodes.

From New York Times

“The fire continues to creep and smolder in steep rugged terrain. Threats remain to critical infrastructure, highways and communities,” according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as Cal Fire.

From Salon

She visited the site of the house on Thursday afternoon for the first time with a shovel in her hand, sifting through the smoldering ashes looking for anything of sentimental interest.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• boil
• erupt
• explode
• fester
• seethe