as in strangling
to cause (someone) to stop breathing and often to become unconscious and die
The murder victim was asphyxiated.
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Recent Examples of asphyxiating
The indictment charges Horner with strangling, smothering or asphyxiating Athena while in the course of kidnapping her.
—
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, then knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes, asphyxiating him.
—Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Jan. 2026
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, then knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes, asphyxiating him.
—Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asphyxiating
Verb
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But in late February of this year, he was arrested for allegedly strangling his fiancée, and got charged with a felony and a misdemeanor.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
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Duckett was convicted and sentenced to death row in June 1988 for raping, strangling and drowning Teresa McAbee.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Juno Beach Police Department released audio from several 911 calls placed that day, including one from Emily Jennings, who said her husband was drowning.—
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The official cause of death listed on the crew member’s death certificate, which was obtained by TMZ, states that Meadows died from drowning with probable hypothermia and submersion of his body in cold water.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Asphyxiating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asphyxiating. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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