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
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
The Times reported that Benkired lured Lola to her apartment before raping her, mutilating her and eventually fatally suffocating her with duct tape.
—
Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The Vikings never seemed to know what was coming next during the Chargers’ comprehensive 37-10 victory, unable to contend with Herbert and the offense or solve a suffocating defense that sacked Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz five times and limited him to only 144 yards passing.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
More capital might benefit some borrowers, but more frequently would suffocate companies with greater debt burdens.
—Mike Terwilliger, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Nelson beat Arlington pastor Clinton Dobson and suffocated him with a plastic bag.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The Vikings never seemed to know what was coming next during the Chargers’ comprehensive 37-10 victory, unable to contend with Herbert and the offense or solve a suffocating defense that sacked Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz five times and limited him to only 144 yards passing.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
More capital might benefit some borrowers, but more frequently would suffocate companies with greater debt burdens.
—Mike Terwilliger, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Nelson beat Arlington pastor Clinton Dobson and suffocated him with a plastic bag.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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The man previously on Florida’s Death Row for beating, stabbing and strangling a La Carreta waitress with a rice cooker — before lighting a blaze to destroy key evidence — should be condemned to die, Miami prosecutors told a jury after detailing the slaying on Wednesday morning.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
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Their strategy seems to be to strangle the capital and provoke unrest against the military junta.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The drought has also set the stage for devastating wildfires in Brazil that have destroyed huge swaths of the Amazon as well as the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetlands, and choked cities in thick smoke.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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For younger children, this is a matter of safety, as toys intended for older kids can contain small pieces that pose choking hazards or materials that aren’t safe to chew on.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The 75-year-old ginkgo trees have been wafting the unpleasant smell into the air at the Northern California park, forcing residents to brave the stench that is comparable to vomit, The Sacramento Bee and SFGATE report.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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Robert returns to his desk only to find that Invisigal had stolen him a donut as a gesture of good faith, which is now smeared all over his keyboard for the new janitor, Water Boy, to clean by vomiting H20 on the mess.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When the bodies of the drowned are retrieved, they’re sent to Alexandroupoli to be identified.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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In an effort to save their relationship, Smith drowned her two young sons.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Burn a candle, for example, and the flame will quickly smother itself as smoke crowds around the wick with no oxygen to feed it.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
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Smothered Turf The wet leaves smother the grass by blocking sunlight, reducing photosynthesis, and slowing oxygen flow to the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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