smooth

A surface that feels flat and even when you touch it, without rough parts.

• The stone feels smooth.
• She ran her hand over the smooth wooden table.
• These sheets are smoother than our old ones.

Similar words: even, silky

Opposites: rough

Common phrases: smooth skin, smooth surface, smooth stone, smooth wood

A liquid or mixture with no small solid pieces or lumps in it.

• Stir until the sauce is smooth.
• She blended the soup to make it smooth.
• Add milk for a smoother mixture.

Similar words: lump-free

Opposites: lumpy

Common phrases: smooth sauce, smooth mixture, smooth batter, smooth consistency

Confident and polite in a way that easily attracts or persuades people.

• He's a smooth talker.
• Her smooth manner impressed everyone at the meeting.
• The salesman was so smooth that I almost believed him.

Similar words: suave, sophisticated, charming

Common phrases: smooth talker, smooth operator, smooth manner

Pronounced without a strong puff of air, or marked to show this pronunciation.

• This vowel has smooth breathing.
• The teacher marked the initial vowel with a smooth breathing sign.
• Compare the smooth and aspirated consonants.

Similar words: unaspirated

Opposites: aspirated

Common phrases: smooth breathing, smooth vowel, smooth consonant

To press or rub something so its surface becomes flat and even.

• Smooth the paper with your hand.
• She smoothed the cloth before cutting it.
• He was smoothing down his shirt when the doorbell rang.

How to use it: smooth something out (She smoothed the wrinkles out with her hands.); smooth something down (He smoothed his hair down before the interview.)

Similar words: flatten, press

Opposites: crumple

Common phrases: smooth something out, smooth something down, smooth someone's hair

To make someone's anger, worry, or other difficult feelings less strong.

• Her gentle voice smoothed his anger.
• He tried to smooth her troubled feelings.
• A quiet walk had smoothed his temper.

Similar words: soothe, calm, ease

Opposites: agitate

Common phrases: smooth someone's temper, smooth someone's feelings

In an easy, steady way, without trouble or sudden changes.

• The engine runs smooth now.
• Everything went smooth after we changed the plan.
• His smooth-spoken promises won over the crowd.

Similar words: smoothly

Common phrases: run smooth, smooth running, smooth spoken