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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Example 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 Rachel Henry, 27, is accused of suffocating the children, all under the age of 4, in January 2020 in Phoenix, according to a Feb. 14 news release from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Sara Schilling, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025 Isolated and suffocating under the weight of their circumstances, the fault lines of the married couple’s relationship are exposed. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2025 And inmates have been seen to writhe and struggle when the latest method, nitrogen gas, is used to suffocate them as it is pushed through a mask. CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025 Alhambra’s defense became suffocating for International in the second half as the Jaguars struggled to find any clean looks. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
  • Tanzi drove to the Florida Keys, strangled Acosta and disposed of her body in a secluded area, the documents said.
    Jim Saunders, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The 47-year-old was pronounced dead on scene, and detectives later determined Jamison had been strangled, police said.
    Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Drummond stops choking Mark and backs off slowly, then smashes the pistol from Lorne’s hand.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Our beaches are full of these pieces of plastic that end up choking our marine life and polluting our waterways.
    Steve Padilla, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Morgan made headlines on Monday night when he was photographed vomiting courtside while the Knicks took on the Miami Heat.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The cause of the delay was Morgan, a New York native and one of the Knicks’ biggest celebrity fans, who reportedly vomited on the hardwood.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Businesses across sectors are drowning in information, yet many still haven’t found the right tools to manage, interpret, and act on it effectively.
    Cathy Hackl, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • If Nike can continue to show positive signs from new product launches and partnerships, the rest of its headwinds might just be drowned out as noise.
    Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • It’s smothered with American cheese and served with lettuce, tomato and griddled onion on a hoagie roll.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Ohtani was only able to advance to second base as Happ smothered the ball and fired it into the infield quickly.
    Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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