- the US spelling of smoulder
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
smol•der or smoul•der /ˈsmoʊldɚ/USA pronunciation
v. [no object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to burn without flame;
undergo slow burning:The campfire was still smoldering. - to continue without an outward indication:Hatred smoldered beneath his smile.
smol•der
(smōl′dər),USA pronunciation v.i.
n.
- to burn without flame;
undergo slow or suppressed combustion. - to exist or continue in a suppressed state or without outward demonstration:Hatred smoldered beneath a polite surface.
- to display repressed feelings, as of indignation, anger, or the like:to smolder with rage.
n.
- dense smoke resulting from slow or suppressed combustion.
- a smoldering fire.
- 1275–1325; (noun, nominal) Middle English smolder smoky vapor, dissimilated variant of smorther smother; (verb, verbal) Middle English (as present participle smolderende), derivative of the noun, nominal
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
smolder /ˈsməʊldə/ vb , n
'smoldering' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):