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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Recent Examples of suffocates
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
Overwatering is the most common cause of yellow ficus leaves, as soggy soil suffocates roots.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.
—Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 18 Jan. 2026
When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 Jan. 2026
But for this to work, these supercities must have freedom from the bureaucratic maze that suffocates current development.
—Zoltan Istvan, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Just like particles behave differently when observed, your business suffocates under micromanagement.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Overwatering is the most common cause of yellow ficus leaves, as soggy soil suffocates roots.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.
—Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 18 Jan. 2026
When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 Jan. 2026
But for this to work, these supercities must have freedom from the bureaucratic maze that suffocates current development.
—Zoltan Istvan, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Just like particles behave differently when observed, your business suffocates under micromanagement.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocates
Verb
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Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.—
Dan Snierson,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Bond chokes Blofeld, who quickly dies from the virus.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
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Much of the work focused on pulling out English ivy, an invasive vine known for slowly killing trees, and clearing debris that chokes the forest floor.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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My cat vomits once every week or two.—
Jane Sykes,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
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Be aware the virus may be aerosolized when someone vomits, meaning surfaces several feet away could be contaminated, the USDA said.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacbee.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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If either smothers the grass for long periods, this can compact soil and lead to mold problems.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
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At Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, Mediterranean scrub smothers steep hillsides that edge abruptly to meet a surreal, gin-clear water.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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First into his life comes Jessie involved in a shipwreck with her uncle, a past colleague of Mason’s, who drowns in a vicious storm and almost takes Jessie down with him before she is heroically rescued from near death by Mason, who brings her out of the drink and then back to life.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
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What should be a fast minimum viable product (MVP) becomes a bloated prototype that delays launch and drowns out real user feedback.—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Administrative red tape stifles growth Beyond direct financial costs, small business owners are struggling with a sudden increase in bureaucratic red tape.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Dec. 2025
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Over-regulation stifles American growth and aids China in this crucial race for global strength.—
Samuel Field,
Boston Herald,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocates. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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