as in strangles
to cause (someone) to stop breathing and often to become unconscious and die
The murder victim was asphyxiated.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asphyxiates
Verb
-
Nate comes back to life and strangles Cassie in a dark green Bottega Veneta suit, then Maddy saves her.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026 -
Over-regulation strangles the economy!—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The more militants are killed, the deeper the city drowns in militant Shia iconography.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Asphyxiates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asphyxiates. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
