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
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
The temperature at 5 p.m. was a suffocating 100 degrees and 98 degrees at 6 p.m.
The NWS issued a heat advisory until 8 p.m. Wednesday and another one from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
—
Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025
Nutrient runoff is creating massive low-oxygen zones that suffocate Gulf fisheries.
—Marc Benioff, Time, 24 June 2025
The unnamed mother is suing Happy Day Preschool on Paseo Boulevard after her son suffocated to death on a couch in the building, according to court documents.
—Kansas City Star, 2 July 2025
The discovery strengthens the case against Decker, who remains at large nearly a month after the girls were found suffocated near his vehicle.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025
Nutrient runoff is creating massive low-oxygen zones that suffocate Gulf fisheries.
—Marc Benioff, Time, 24 June 2025
The unnamed mother is suing Happy Day Preschool on Paseo Boulevard after her son suffocated to death on a couch in the building, according to court documents.
—Kansas City Star, 2 July 2025
The discovery strengthens the case against Decker, who remains at large nearly a month after the girls were found suffocated near his vehicle.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Menzies was convicted of the 1986 murder of 26-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was kidnapped, robbed, strangled, and found tied to a tree with her throat slit.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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Most of the victims were strangled or asphyxiated, and Gacy buried 26 of the bodies in the crawl space beneath his home; others were found in Chicago waterways, per NPR.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
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The boy stuck his head through the dividers and appeared to be choking, according to the witness, who said Smith laughed and pushed the boy’s head back through the divider.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
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In addition to the chickens, Frank flushed his shoes down one of the toilets, Dennis and Dee kept blowing fuses with the scheme's need for a power-sucking vacuum sealer, and the basement was choked with carbon monoxide.—
Dennis Perkins,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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On a transplant list, Kim Betts started vomiting and getting weaker.—
Brad Schmitt,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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After eating a stew made from acacia nuts and prickly pear cactus, Will suffered terrible gastrointestinal stress, eventually vomiting blood.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside Online,
27 June 2025
Verb
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The campers drowned when their bus attempted to evacuate them and was overtaken by floodwater.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
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On Saturday in Porter County, a father, 65, and his 20-year-old son drowned in Lake Michigan.—
Sophie Levenson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
Verb
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This lightweight leave-in conditioner is designed for all curl types, from loose waves to coily textures, and hydrates without adding a smothering layer of buildup.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
7 July 2025
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Instead, bruising inside Aria’s cheeks and cuts in her mouth consistent with being smothered to death were discovered, said Dr. Tran.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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