asphyxiating

verb

present participle of asphyxiate
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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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 asphyxiating Kim Se Yun described the constant surveillance when abroad and at home as miserable and utterly asphyxiating. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026 Carbon monoxide, an asphyxiating gas, and benzene, a cancer-causing vapor, also exceeded California’s hourly standards in several kitchens. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asphyxiating
  1. strangling
  2. drowning
Verb
  • The charges allege that Watford struck the woman several times before strangling her with his hands and arm following a dispute inside the room.
    — Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Overton was convicted in 1999 of tying up, raping, and strangling Missy MacIvor, who was eight months pregnant.
    — Ted Scouten, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of strangling
Verb
  • People swept into the ocean by sneaker waves faced the risk of drowning in extremely cold water, the agency said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2026
  • On July 7, Connor Murphy died by drowning in the lake in his backyard in Thailand.
    — Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of drowning

Browse Nearby Words

asphyxiates
asphyxiating
aspirant
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Cite this Entry

“Asphyxiating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asphyxiating. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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