How to pronounce smother
Say it like SMUH-ther. Smother has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SMUH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce smother. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SMUH
- ther
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Smother pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SMUHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- therKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of smother
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SMUHTH-uh.
What does smother mean?
- To suffocate; stifle; obstruct, more or less completely, the respiration of something or someone.“He smothered her by pressing his hand over her mouth.”
- To extinguish or deaden, as fire, by covering, overlaying, or otherwise excluding the air.“to smother a fire with ashes”
- To reduce to a low degree of vigor or activity; suppress or do away with; extinguish“The committee's report was smothered.”
- Smoldering; slow combustion.
- Cookware used in such cooking.
- The state of being stifled; suppression.
Where does smother come from?
Cognate with Middle Low German smoren, smurten (“to choke, suffocate”), West Flemish smoren (“to smoke, reek”), Dutch smoren (“to suffocate, smother", also "to stew, simmer”), German schmoren (“to stew, simmer, braise”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying smother
How do you pronounce smother?
Say SMUH-ther. The American pronunciation is /ˈsməðər/. In British English it is /ˈsmʌðə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in smother?
Smother has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SMUH). Broken into parts: SMUH · ther.
Is smother pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈsmʌðə/ (SMUHTH-uh).