1 B1 neutral
To make wrinkles, roughness, or bumps disappear by smoothing a surface.
"She smoothed away the creases in the tablecloth before the guests arrived."
separable
smooth away
B2 neutral separable transitive
To remove or eliminate something unpleasant, such as difficulties, wrinkles, or worries, making it disappear.
In plain English
To make problems or rough parts go away by making things smooth.
What does "smooth away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To eliminate problems, worries, or obstacles so they no longer exist.
"His calm reassurances smoothed away her anxiety about the surgery."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To smooth a surface so that roughness goes away.
Actually means
To make problems or rough parts go away by making things smooth.
Usage tip
Often used in figurative contexts — smoothing away fears, doubts, or difficulties. Also used literally for physical surfaces. More common in formal or literary writing than casual speech.
Words that pair with "smooth away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
wrinkles worries difficulties fears doubts problems
How to conjugate "smooth away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
smooth away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
smooths away
he/she/it
Past simple
smoothed away
yesterday
Past participle
smoothed away
have + pp
-ing form
smoothing away
continuous
Hear "smooth away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "smooth away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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