suffocating

adjective

suf·​fo·​cat·​ing ˈsə-fə-ˌkā-tiŋ How to pronounce suffocating (audio)
: tending or serving to suffocate or overpower : overwhelming
suffocatingly adverb

Examples of suffocating in a Sentence

inside the bunker it was suffocating, and some of the men had already passed out
Recent Examples on the Web 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 Humphrey had two, Trayvon Mullen added a pair, Kyle Hamilton intercepted rookie quarterback Devin Leary, then Jalyn Armour-Davis snatched an end zone fade from Johnson to Andrews in the air to put the cap on a suffocating defensive showing. Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2024 The production-design team pushed the lighting and colors almost too far, creating a suffocating environment. Holden Seidlitz, The New Yorker, 10 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for suffocating 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suffocating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of suffocating was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near suffocating

Cite this Entry

“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffocating. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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