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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
But such is the nature of pilots, especially at 30 minutes of runtime: A lot is crammed in at a pace that can sometimes suffocate character.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 July 2025
The same forces that built the American dream 80 years ago are now suffocating it, inflicting profound pain on families across the country.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025
Which means the Fed exists to suffocate the message of the market.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Heavy clay and soggy soil can suffocate hydrangea roots and lead to root rot, eventually ending with the demise of your plant.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 July 2025
The same forces that built the American dream 80 years ago are now suffocating it, inflicting profound pain on families across the country.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025
Which means the Fed exists to suffocate the message of the market.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Heavy clay and soggy soil can suffocate hydrangea roots and lead to root rot, eventually ending with the demise of your plant.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Donald has two open criminal contempt cases, including one for allegedly strangling his husband twice in one night, PIX11 reported, citing prosecutors.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Myers was strangled with her pantyhose, and Eckart with her shoelace and a strap from her overalls.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Montgomery County Jail records showed that the athlete was arrested following an incident at his home that same morning and is accused of assaulting and choking or suffocating an individual.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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He was accused of choking Jacob and then two hours later choking him again and hitting him in the face.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Birth control pills are extremely effective when used correctly, but college life is filled with irregular schedules, late nights, road trip weekends and, for some people — vomiting.—
Jill Grimes,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
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Max urinated and vomited on himself, went into cardiac arrest and ultimately, lost consciousness during his prolonged restraint.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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If flooding is observed, then turn around, don't drown.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Aug. 2025
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Rodriguez, a Woodbury resident, drowned in White Bear Lake in late June.—
Talia McWright,
Twin Cities,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The fish held up in crispiness over the course of the meal despite being smothered in togarashi sauce.—
Irene Milanez,
Sacbee.com,
28 July 2025
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The creamy, rich, and cheesy potato dish is perfect alongside a short stack of pancakes smothered in their addictive butter syrup.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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