ASPHYXIATE Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

asphyxiate

verb

Definition of asphyxiate

as in to strangle

to cause (someone) to stop breathing and often to become unconscious and die The murder victim was asphyxiated.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of asphyxiate Adam gets off on being asphyxiated, while Ingeborg has hypersensitive fingertips to the extent of them effectively being her erogenous zone; gracing her hands against the fabric that’s wrapped her lover during his orgasm seems to set off her own. — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026 The petition, which was granted by a federal judge, cited reports alleging that guards at the facility choked and asphyxiated Campos. — Armando Garcia, ABC News, 10 June 2026 The 10-mile-high plume asphyxiated around 200,000 residents but also preserved the city in remarkable detail. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026 The fine ash preserved the site but asphyxiated 200,000 residents. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for asphyxiate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for asphyxiate

Verb

Michael MacIvor was hit in the back of the head with a blunt object and kicked in the midsection before being strangled.

— CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Wandering further afield, Wright recounts the case of Walker Railey, a Methodist minister accused of strangling his wife and leaving her in a vegetative state.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of strangle

Verb

Equally weighting stocks ensures companies in smaller industries aren’t drowned out by massive ones, like Big Tech.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Other components in blood can produce stronger signals that drown them out, according to a scientific review published in Applied Spectroscopy.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026