1
a
: the gaseous products of burning materials especially of organic origin made visible by the presence of small particles of carbon
b
: a suspension of particles in a gas
2
a
: a mass or column of smoke
b
: smudge
3
: fume or vapor often resulting from the action of heat on moisture
4
: something of little substance, permanence, or value
5
: something that obscures
6
a(1)
: something (such as a cigarette) to smoke
(2)
b
: an act of smoking tobacco
especially
: a smoking break
7
a
: a pale blue
b
: any of the colors of smoke
8
: pitches that are fastballs
if a guy's going to hit you … he certainly isn't going to throw a spitter—he gives you smoke—
Tony Conigliaro
Tony Conigliaro
smoked; smoking; smokes
1
a
: to emit or exhale smoke
b
: to emit excessive smoke
2
archaic
: to undergo punishment : suffer
3
: to spread or rise like smoke
4
: to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco
especially
: to smoke tobacco habitually
1
a
: fumigate
b
: to drive (something, such as mosquitoes) away by smoke
c
: to blacken or discolor with smoke
smoked glasses
d
: to cure or flavor by exposure to smoke
smoked ham
They smoked a rack of ribs.
… offers, among other things, a flavorful sirloin steak and barbecued smoked chicken.—Andy Birsh
Andy Birsh
e
: to stupefy (insects, such as bees) by smoke
2
archaic
: suspect
3
: to inhale and exhale the smoke of
smoke a cigarette
4
archaic
: ridicule
5
slang
: kill sense 1a
6
slang
: to defeat or surpass decisively
7
: to hit (something, such as a baseball) with great force
Synonyms
Examples of smoke in a Sentence
Noun
Smoke from the campfire stung my eyes.
We could see black smoke from the house fire.
Can I bum a few smokes off you?
Verb
I caught her smoking a cigarette.
He was thrown out of school for smoking marijuana.
She smokes and drinks, but I don't.
Do you mind if I smoke in here?
That old car smokes when you start it up.
the smoking remains of a fire
We smoke our hams over hickory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said two of their deputies working as school resource officers rushed to the scene of the shooting, but were blocked by a haze of dust and smoke.
—Andy Rose, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Mary Claire Britton, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
There was another house that was devoted to smoking meats because my grandmother used to cure her own meats.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smoke 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Jeff Beal, owner of the Cigar Vault, said the business uses a ventilation system that recycles the air, so patrons of nearby businesses should not be bothered by the cigar smoke.
—Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said two of their deputies working as school resource officers rushed to the scene of the shooting, but were blocked by a haze of dust and smoke.
—Andy Rose, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
Because the turkey is smoked, there's no need to cook it first.
—Mary Claire Britton, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
There was another house that was devoted to smoking meats because my grandmother used to cure her own meats.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smoke
Dictionary Entries Near smoke
Cite this Entry
“Smoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smoke. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smoke
1 of 2 noun1
: the gas of burning materials (as coal, wood, or tobacco) made visible by small particles of carbon floating in it
2
: a mass or column of smoke
3
: something that has little substance or value or that doesn't last very long
4
: something that hides
5
a
: something to smoke (as a cigarette)
b
: an act of smoking tobacco
smoke
2 of 2 verb
smoked; smoking
1
a
: to give off or exhale smoke
b
: to give off too much smoke
2
a
: to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco
b
: to use in smoking
smoke a pipe
3
a
: to drive away by smoke
b
: to blacken or discolor with smoke
c
: to use smoke to give (as meat or cheese) flavor and keep from spoiling
smoker
noun
Medical Definition
smoke
verb
smoked; smoking
: to inhale and exhale the fumes of burning plant material and especially tobacco
especially
: to smoke tobacco habitually
: to inhale and exhale the smoke of
smoked 30 cigarettes a day
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