Smolder

To burn slowly and without a flame, often with smoke and suppressed heat. It can also describe the holding back of feelings or emotions, like anger or resentment, without openly expressing them. A smoldering fire implies a danger of flare-up, while smoldering emotions suggest a potential for an eventual outburst. The term evokes a sense of controlled combustion, whether literal or metaphorical, signifying a slow, gradual, and potentially destructive process. It represents a state of hidden intensity.

Smolder meaning with examples

• The campfire, left unattended, began to smolder overnight, emitting a faint wisp of smoke and glowing embers. We quickly poured water over it to prevent any further spread. The smell of the smoldering wood lingered in the air until morning.
• Beneath her composed exterior, a sense of betrayal continued to smolder. She found it difficult to forgive the perceived injustice. Days later, a heated confrontation erupted, fueled by the smoldering resentment that had been simmering beneath the surface.
• After the argument, anger began to smolder inside of him, though he made no comment. He found himself replaying the interaction in his mind, each iteration stoking the flames of his indignation. His silence was deceptive, a cover for his inner turmoil.
• The old coal mine was a place of legend, with tales of abandoned shafts that could still smolder. The earth there emitted noxious fumes, proof that remnants of combustion still lay waiting to be found, years later.