suffocate

verb

suf·​fo·​cate ˈsə-fə-ˌkāt 

suffocated; suffocating

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)

(2)

: to deprive of oxygen

b

: to make uncomfortable by want of fresh air

2

: to impede or stop the development of

intransitive verb

1

: to become suffocated:

a(1)

: to die from being unable to breathe

(2)

: to die from lack of oxygen

b

: to be uncomfortable through lack of fresh air

2

: to become checked in development

suffocation

ˌsə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

suffocative

ˈsə-fə-ˌkā-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms

• choke
• smother
• stifle
• strangle

Examples of suffocate in a Sentence

The poor dog could suffocate in the car on a hot day like this.

Don't put your head in a plastic bag—you could suffocate.

Recent Examples on the Web

The roommate claimed Zhao tried to suffocate him with a pillow during one attack, and days later threatened to use a knife to cut the roommate’s head if Zhao couldn’t come back to work. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Roberto Caraballo, 37, was suffocated and beaten in the basement of his home in Charlotte, about 105 miles northwest of Detroit. —CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024

Another describes almost suffocating when a guard pulled a plastic bag over his head. —John Otis, NPR, 23 Mar. 2024

On the other hand, an unknown number of Palestinians were also reported killed, some possibly suffocating from smoke. —Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024

The assailant’s suffocating hand over her mouth, attempting to mute her screams, is one terrible detail that lingers; along with the bathing suit under her clothes that impeded their forcible removal. —Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024

Read Next Deep-sea vampire squid suffocated 183 million years ago while hunting. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024

This meant that a quarter of 787 Dreamliners had the potential to rapidly lose oxygen if the cabins were suddenly decompressed, suffocating passengers. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024

After not winning a game in five trips to the region’s toughest bracket, the Pride suffocated perennial participant Modesto Christian in the semifinals before outlasting a more athletic and taller Archbishop Riordan team to punch its ticket to Sacramento. —Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin suffōcātus, past participle of suffōcāre "to stifle, choke, deprive of air, squeeze together," from suf-, assimilated form of sub- sub- + -fōcāre, verbal derivative of fauc-, faux (ordinarily in plural faucēs) "upper part of the throat, pharynx, windpipe," of obscure origin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Kids Definition

suffocate

verb

suf·​fo·​cate ˈsəf-ə-ˌkāt 

suffocated; suffocating

1

a

: to stop the breathing of (as by strangling)

b

: to deprive of oxygen

c

: to make uncomfortable by want of fresh air

2

: to become suffocated

especially : to die or suffer from being unable to breathe or from lack of oxygen

suffocation

ˌsəf-ə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

suffocate

verb

suf·​fo·​cate ˈsəf-ə-ˌkāt 

suffocated; suffocating

transitive verb

1

: to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)

2

: to deprive of oxygen

intransitive verb

: to die from being unable to breathe

suffocative

-ˌkāt-iv 

adjective