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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2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
And babies should only be put to sleep on a firm, flat surface—like a crib or bassinet—without pillows or other products that could suffocate the infant.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 Apr. 2025
She was wrapped in a green tarp and her head was covered with a white plastic bag, which a coroner testified had been used to suffocate her.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025
Amid the backdrop of the suffocating party, the search for the letter unlocks memories of a past he’s tried to forget: months earlier, while working undercover in a mall bathroom, Lucas arrested men by seducing them.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
Curiosity needs room to breathe, and micromanagement quietly suffocates it.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 Apr. 2025
She was wrapped in a green tarp and her head was covered with a white plastic bag, which a coroner testified had been used to suffocate her.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025
Amid the backdrop of the suffocating party, the search for the letter unlocks memories of a past he’s tried to forget: months earlier, while working undercover in a mall bathroom, Lucas arrested men by seducing them.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
Curiosity needs room to breathe, and micromanagement quietly suffocates it.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Finally, things became so intense that Ishida developed a fascination for erotic asphyxiation, which is how Abe came to strangle him to death in a love hotel one night.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
14 May 2025
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Six children were allegedly beaten and strangled to the point of unconsciousness, among other forms of torture by their guardians and another adult at a Victorville home, with some of the abuse going back at least a decade, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Verb
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That includes allegations that in 2024, Burgin would consistently put his hands on her—scratching, choking her, and slamming her head into a wall.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
19 May 2025
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The girl, whose family identified her as Lily, was driven to a remote location on the night of May 3, where her ex-boyfriend then assaulted her, choked her and threw her from a moving vehicle, the Star-Telegram previously reported.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 May 2025
Verb
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Stolarz, who took an earlier fastball to his facemask, soon skated to the bench and vomited over the boards.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2025
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Sportsnet cameras caught Stolarz vomiting over the boards and into a bucket brought over by the team’s training staff.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Hundreds of caribou have drowned after breaking through the ice.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
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New founders often drown prospects in features, not value.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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To paraphrase the historian Simon Schama, if Thatcher was the stern nanny who gave Brits their medicine, Diana was the loving mother who smothered them in tactile affection.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
10 May 2025
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Abandoning the arc allowed defenses to smother the paint, leaving then-rookies Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese burdened with double teams.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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