suffocated 1 of 2

Definition of suffocatednext

suffocated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of suffocate
1
as in strangled
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
as in throttled
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

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3
as in vomited
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building

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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 suffocated
Adjective
The first album of the MEMENTO MORI era, 2018’s My Dear Melancholy, is a dark and paranoid EP, more sinister, suffocated, and sparse than previous work. Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026 The hefty down duvet is almost as comforting as a weighted blanket, but sufficiently light and breathable so those who run hot don’t feel suffocated. Air Mail, 1 Nov. 2025 The videos, which were shared online, showed baby monkeys being crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled and mutilated. Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Oct. 2025 Additionally, soil that is constantly wet can become compacted, which the horticulturist says could reduce its ability to drain properly leading to suffocated roots that are unable to expand properly. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025 Since Ibsen wrote the suffocated aristocrat with her poison tongue into existence 135 years ago, titans of theatre have grappled with Gabler. Ben Jureidini, Them., 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Living paycheck to paycheck in a small Paris apartment, she feels increasingly suffocated by fleeting relationships, rising anxiety and the grip of an alcohol addiction quietly tightening around her life. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026 You’re located near some of the prime tourist spots—just a 10- to 15-minute walk from historic rainbow houses along Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park, and the Rosenborg castle—but won't feel suffocated by crowds. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026 Panicked employees leaped into elevator shafts, were crushed at exits, suffocated in smoke, burned, or trapped by flames. Christina Ray Stanton, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 This argument echoes those raised by journalism outlets and other online sites, which find their traffic being suffocated as more people use AI chatbots instead of a traditional search engine. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 19 Mar. 2026 These symptoms are often overshadowed when someone feels suffocated by anxiety and consumed by worries. Deldhy Nicolás Moya Sánchez, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026 Inevitably, there were only losers in that fight when Hendrickson’s 2025 season and injury hurt his value and suffocated Cincinnati’s ability to finish games. Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026 As the disconnect grows, propelled by high valuations and rising speculation in financial markets, Zandi cautioned that the real economy could be suffocated. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026 But his bear hug of the institution has suffocated its box office. Tristan Lejeune, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocated
Adjective
  • San Franciscans who think Muni buses are always packed, or prone to crawl along choked streets, may find their views validated in a new slide presentation released by the Municipal Transportation Agency.
    Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • After kidnapping the child, Horner strangled Athena and dumped her body in the Trinity River in rural Wise County.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Lisbet Fariñas testified during the Spencer hearing of Rafael Andres, 61, who in 2005 beat, stabbed and strangled her sister, Yvette Fariñas.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • At lunch, Dix refused to eat and later vomited.
    Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
  • After all, the other person almost eliminated first (Chrissy Hofbeck, who vomited earlier that day at the challenge) ended up making it all the way to day 39.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Otherwise, Rhoda picks the red rice; Laurence and Oscar pick the hoppin’ John; Anthony and Brittany pick collard greens; Duyen and Brandon pick the smothered cabbage; Justin and Sherry pick potato salad; and Jonathan and Jennifer pick the hoecakes.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Robust, malty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, this smothered cabbage recipe will warm your soul and delight your tastebuds.
    Pableaux Johnson, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In 2024, a student with autism drowned after wandering away from their family.
    Dennis Valera, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Eclipses give solar scientists a rare chance to study the sun's wispy outer atmosphere, or corona, which is usually drowned out by the overwhelming glare of the solar disk.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • By the time volunteer firefighters from nearby Cachagua arrived, McCord estimated that the fire was about 70% extinguished.
    Lucy Hodgman, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
  • That conditional pick, acquired in August’s salary dump of Haywood Highsmith, effectively has become extinguished.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • These modes are referred to as a damped harmonic oscillator.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 Mar. 2026
  • The story of damped harmonic systems goes back to 1900, when British physicist Horace Lamb built a simple mathematical model of a particle vibrating inside a solid.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Ideal for thick, natural hair, the cream formula moisturizes quenched curls with ingredients such as silk protein, coconut oil, and shea butter.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 18 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffocated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocated. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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