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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocates
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
Both novel and opera include a scene in which Salvador Dalí almost suffocates after getting his head stuck in a scuba helmet at an art opening.
—
Emma Allen,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.
—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
9 Feb. 2026
Aristidou utilizes Danae, whose controlling dad suffocates her with his seemingly overbearing rigidness, as a counterpoint to the other extreme of fatherhood.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
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
Both novel and opera include a scene in which Salvador Dalí almost suffocates after getting his head stuck in a scuba helmet at an art opening.
—
Emma Allen,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.
—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
9 Feb. 2026
Aristidou utilizes Danae, whose controlling dad suffocates her with his seemingly overbearing rigidness, as a counterpoint to the other extreme of fatherhood.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocates
Verb
-
Nate comes back to life and strangles Cassie in a dark green Bottega Veneta suit, then Maddy saves her.
-
Over-regulation strangles the economy!
Verb
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Connecticut’s largest cities also struggle with the state’s highest property tax rates, which chokes business growth and, in turn, shifts more burden onto residential owners.
-
Not the one who chokes in the playoffs.
Verb
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Shows were led by a sentient wad of meat, a talk-show host who vomits in front of guests, and a reality-TV star who never shows his face.
-
Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).
Verb
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Up in the attic, a melty miasma smothers the thick winter coats, which hurt me to even look at.
-
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.
Verb
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Drenching the nest and surrounding area with water drowns workers and possibly the queen, which disrupts the colony.
-
The more militants are killed, the deeper the city drowns in militant Shia iconography.
Verb
-
Micromanagement stifles creativity, motivation, and productivity.
-
That stifles competition at home and, with China’s dependence on global consumption, raises concerns about dumping and deflation abroad.
Cite this Entry
“Suffocates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocates. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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