as in close
lacking fresh air
inside the bunker it was suffocating, and some of the men had already passed out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in strangling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choking
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe
temporarily suffocated by the seat belt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vomiting
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe
suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocating
Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
The goaltender finished with a career-high 19 saves, anchoring a suffocating defensive unit.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2024
EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
The girl was a neighbor at his Purcell apartment complex who Underwood admitted to luring into his apartment and beating her over the head with a cutting board before suffocating her to death.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for suffocating 
Adjective
What might feel supportive to one person could feel suffocating or unhelpful to another.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
The goaltender finished with a career-high 19 saves, anchoring a suffocating defensive unit.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2024
Verb
The weight of betrayal was suffocating.
—EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
The girl was a neighbor at his Purcell apartment complex who Underwood admitted to luring into his apartment and beating her over the head with a cutting board before suffocating her to death.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for suffocating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating
Adjective
-
Sophie’s own child, Aud Mason-Hyde, is one of the main actors, which adds another layer of things as a close personal story.—
Dan Allen,
NBC News,
24 Jan. 2025
-
If there were regulations in place to prevent factory farms from polluting so much, their staggering animal populations and close proximity to people might be less of a concern, but there aren’t.—
Kenny Torrella,
Vox,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
He had been arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend, Johnny Faye Cartwright, in 2020.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
4 Jan. 2025
-
His trouble with the law began in 2020, when he was arrested for allegedly strangling his girlfriend at an Oregon home.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Cut smaller kids' meals into little bites to prevent choking.—
Ryan Murphy,
The Indianapolis Star,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Thomas Conley, a second-grade student at Porter Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona, noticed that his friend was choking on a grape and sprang into action, according to local reports.—
Melissa Rudy,
Fox News,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Feeling extreme discomfort with words or discussions related to vomiting.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
13 Dec. 2024
-
Heart attack symptoms can sometimes show up in the arms, back, neck, and jaw, and can bring on shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweats, lightheadedness, and vomiting—all of which are more common among women.—
Katie Camero,
SELF,
17 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
However, a lack of autonomy growing up can strongly trigger the need for independence and reinforce negative attitudes about how future relationships may continue to be stifling.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
-
The core of their legal challenge revolves around claims that the charter agreement breaches antitrust laws by stifling competition.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.—
Ben Bolch,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Nov. 2024
-
Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.—
Razib Khan,
Discover Magazine,
24 Aug. 2011
Adjective
-
One key to that, Gaultier said, is density of people without letting the space feel too stuffy.—
Hadley Hitson,
The Tennessean,
10 Dec. 2024
-
Bingo! Alivia's tantrum hack—to keep things lighthearted—is a simple one, but a great reminder that not everything has to be so stuffy.—
Tanay Howard,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Police say a 3-month-old baby has died after drowning in a motel bathtub on New Year’s Day.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Her cause of death was drowning, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner ruled.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
2 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near suffocating
Cite this Entry
“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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