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
Still, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams were brilliant throughout this run, and OKC’s depth (aided by a lopsided 2024 offseason trade for Alex Caruso) suffocated top-heavy teams like Denver.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
The tension suffocates as He-Man reaches for his Power Sword, but Skeletor isn't backing down here either.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026
Here was America, trying to suffocate our dreams again.
—Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 3 June 2026
But the Canes are built in the image of Brind’Amour, playing with a suffocating 200-foot relentlessness that has produced a 12-1 playoff record so far.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
The tension suffocates as He-Man reaches for his Power Sword, but Skeletor isn't backing down here either.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026
Here was America, trying to suffocate our dreams again.
—Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 3 June 2026
But the Canes are built in the image of Brind’Amour, playing with a suffocating 200-foot relentlessness that has produced a 12-1 playoff record so far.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Angel Guzman, 31, of Los Angeles, was among the four members of the gang MS-13 convicted of murdering three people, one of whom was kidnapped, strangled, attacked with machetes and dismembered, in the Angeles National Forest, federal authorities said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2026
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An argument over rent money ended violently for a Miami Beach woman when her ex-boyfriend strangled her, held her against her will and threatened to throw her out of a window from their third-floor apartment, police say.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Green Bay then choked away a 21-3 halftime lead and a 21-6 advantage after three quarters in an eventual 31-27 loss to Chicago in the Wild Card round.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Police in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights have released a sketch of a man accused of attacking and choking a woman this past weekend.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The pulses are designed to normalize the nerve messaging from the brain to the stomach to relieve symptoms of nausea and vomiting without side effects.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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Geoff Howarth, a former New Zealand captain unused to such lavish fare, once vomited on the field shortly after a particularly leaden lunch.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
6 June 2026
Verb
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This is the third report of a water rescue operation along the Front Range this week in which a child fell into the water or was swept away and drowned.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
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Three-year-old Riley Fox was found drowned and half-naked in a Wilmington creek.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The Fire defense smothered her, and while Erica Wheeler and Ogwumike made some shots early, the Sparks mostly didn’t make Portland pay for doubling up their star.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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The objective should not be to smother markets with blanket subsidies.—
John W.H. Denton AO,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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