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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
Reaves, who has been the victim of this defense many times before, knows all too well how the Thunder tend to stifle and suffocate.
—
Sam Amick, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Mulch should support plant health—not suffocate it.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026
Thirty-two points, 10 rebounds and 45 minutes of suffocating defense equated to one of the best two-way performances in Timberwolves playoff history.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Constantly soggy soil suffocates roots and invites rot — the plant equivalent of trench foot.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Sam Amick, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Mulch should support plant health—not suffocate it.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026
Thirty-two points, 10 rebounds and 45 minutes of suffocating defense equated to one of the best two-way performances in Timberwolves playoff history.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Constantly soggy soil suffocates roots and invites rot — the plant equivalent of trench foot.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Just as with Weaver, Vesey was bound with electrical cords before she was raped and strangled, the papers state.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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Luis Benitez-Gonzalez, a 26-year-old previously deported Mexican national, is accused of strangling two women in the area of Austin, Texas, in 2018 and 2024.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The intensifying conflict in the Middle East has choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital route for roughly 20% of the world’s oil, natural gas and critical raw materials.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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The lawsuit also claims officers choked Day and slammed him against a wall, eventually coercing him into confessing to killing Irving and Garcia.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Few walk out in protest anymore, and fewer still vomit, faint, or require the emergency medical attention the press so loves to lead with.—
Caroline Lillian Schopp,
Artforum,
13 May 2026
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One puppy later vomited up a bone, a stark indication of what little the animals had been consuming to survive.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The Detroit fans who stuck around until the end of the game were drowned out by the bus loads of Cavaliers fans.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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However, the actor does most of the heavy lifting, even as Nemes’ aesthetic approach drowns the frame in striking shadows — a contrast made deep and inviting by Mátyás Erdély’s 35mm photography.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The heat in the car is like an aunt who does not stop smothering us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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The reddish-brown mud that smothered Bok Kongphan's Hawaii farm has hardened in the tropical sun.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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