Synonyms of suffocates

suffocates

verb

present tense third-person singular of suffocate

1

as in strangles

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strangles
• chokes
• smothers
• drowns
• stifles
• destroys
• throttles
• asphyxiates
• slays
• garrotes
• dispatches
• fells
• croaks
• does in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathes
• inspires
• expires
• inhales
• exhales
• revives
• resuscitates

2

as in chokes

to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe

temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strangles
• chokes
• throttles
• smothers
• stifles
• asphyxiates
• garrotes
• scrags

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restores
• revives
• resuscitates

3

as in vomits

to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe

suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building

Synonyms & Similar Words

• chokes
• vomits
• smothers
• gags
• stifles
• heaves
• throws up
• retches
• asphyxiates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathes
• inspires
• expires
• respires

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of suffocates

Coffee grounds settle into these gaps, creating a layer that suffocates the roots and leads to root rot. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026

Amazon also faces another sweeping lawsuit by the FTC and 17 states that paints the company as a monopolist that suffocates competitors and raises costs for both sellers and shoppers. — Alina Selyukh, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

The pure, post-Bee Gees charisma Bellamy mustered in the 2000s seems to have vacated him entirely, and the song’s funkiness suffocates under the flatness of his delivery. — Liam Inscoe-Jones, Pitchfork, 1 July 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

More than the page itself, the routine summons the part of his conscience that survives on muscle memory and suffocates uncertainty. — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 23 May 2026

Constantly soggy soil suffocates roots and invites rot — the plant equivalent of trench foot. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026

Most beginners assume more water equals healthier plants, but constantly soggy soil suffocates roots and triggers rot. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026

Complexity is exactly what suffocates scale. — May Habib, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026