To smother means to cover something so completely that it can't breathe or function properly. When you smother a fire with a blanket, you cut off its oxygen supply and put it out.

The word also describes overwhelming someone with too much attention or protection. A parent might smother their child by being overprotective, never letting them make decisions or take small risks. When friends complain that someone is smothering them, they mean that person is being too clingy or controlling, not giving them space to think and act independently.

You can smother food too: smothered chicken means covering it completely in gravy or sauce. A burger might be smothered with cheese and onions.

Notice how smother always involves covering something so thoroughly that it loses its freedom or ability to function. Whether it's a fire that needs oxygen, a person who needs independence, or food buried under toppings, smothering means covering completely and sometimes excessively.