smolder

/ˈsmoʊldɚ/

//ˈsmoʊldɚ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"smolder" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“smolder” is uncommon English (frequency #94,270 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#94,270
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To burn with no flame and little smoke.

Corpus desk

Index EN-smolder · smolder · English

smolder · rank #94,270 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #94,270
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH sleepily

Nearest frequency peer: sleepily (-3 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “smolder”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “smolder” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for smolder
PropertyValue
Headwordsmolder
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈsmoʊldɚ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#94,270
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “smolder” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).smolderfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “sleepily” (#94,267), “Sleaford” (#94,266), “slake” (#94,264). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “smolder” is #94,270. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

smolder is uncommon English at frequency #94,270 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈsmoʊldɚ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for smolder in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English smolderen (“to suffocate, stifle”), from Middle English smolder (“smoke, smoky vapour”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *smolōn (“to burn, glow, fume, smoulder”). Related to Proto-West Germanic *smallijan (> English smell). The correct English form is smolder, spelled S-M-O-L-D-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To burn with no flame and little smoke.
  2. 2
    To show signs of repressed anger or suppressed mental turmoil or other strong emotion, such as passion.
  3. 3
    To exist in a suppressed or hidden state.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how smolder appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The remains of the bonfire were left to smolder for hours.
  2. Our quiuering Lances ſhaking in the aire, And bullets like Ioues dreadfull Thunderbolts, Enrolde in flames and fiery ſmoldering miſtes, Shall threat the Gods more than Cyclopian warres, […]

Etymology

From Middle English smolderen (“to suffocate, stifle”), from Middle English smolder (“smoke, smoky vapour”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *smolōn (“to burn, glow, fume, smoulder”). Related to Proto-West Germanic *smallijan (> English smell).

This word in other languages

se consumer(Français)schwelen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "smolder"?
"smolder" is spelled S-M-O-L-D-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsmoʊldɚ/.
What does "smolder" mean?
As a verb, "smolder" means: To burn with no flame and little smoke.
How do you pronounce "smolder"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "smolder" is /ˈsmoʊldɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "smolder"?
From Middle English smolderen (“to suffocate, stifle”), from Middle English smolder (“smoke, smoky vapour”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *smolōn (“to burn, glow, fume, smoulder”). Related to Proto-West Germanic *smallijan (> English smell). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "smolder", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

spaying#94,277spitter#94,279Spriggs#94,281Starlin#94,285

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list