1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air the law requires the owner of a discarded refrigerator to remove its door so that a child won't get trapped inside and suffocate

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2
as in to choke
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

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3
as in to vomit
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building

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Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suffocate The documentary film focuses on the 1991 trial of Delbert Ward, a farmer accused of suffocating his brother in Munnsville, N.Y. Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024 The Chargers didn’t exactly suffocate the New Orleans Saints during a 26-8 victory this past Sunday. Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 31 Oct. 2024 Then, aided by late home runs from Kiké Hernandez, Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy, the trustworthy relief corps took over, getting five scoreless innings to continue its suffocating postseason form and reaffirm the Dodgers’ control of this series. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024 The suspect also allegedly suffocated her using a martial arts move, which involved squeezing her neck between his arm and forearm, Leggo.it, Gazzetta di Parma and Corriere Della Sera reported, citing an autopsy and prosecutors. Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for suffocate 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
  • Jamie Busch allegedly strangled her sister in her home during an altercation between 4:50 p.m. and 11:59 on October 8.
    Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
  • She’d been stripped naked and strangled with her own stockings, with a bite mark on her breast.
    Laura Bradley, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Armed with that information, off-roading is a lot less likely to be marred by choking, toxic smoke that comes along with dangerous levels of combustion if users know which areas to avoid.
    Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
  • He is accused of fatally choking 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a New York City subway in 2023.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Audience members have been walking out of screenings, fainting, and even vomiting, and film censors in France have imposed a ban on Terrifier 3 for under-18s.
    Simon Thompson, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
  • If your child is vomiting and has diarrhea, the best way to manage their condition is to keep them hydrated, feed them easily digestible food, and allow plenty of rest.
    Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Downtown flooding became a regularity, including a deadly flood in August 1998 in which two boys drowned.
    Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The initial victim was Brian Jones, a founding member of the Rolling Stones who drowned in his swimming pool in 1969.
    Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • And just like the album title suggests, that's exactly how our readers order their hashbrowns: scattered, smothered, and covered.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
  • The first points of the game came with 3:21 remaining in the first half thanks to a three-yard touchdown run from Texans running back Joe Mixon, after both defenses smothered their rival offenses to force punts.
    Ben Morse, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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