as in close
lacking fresh air
inside the bunker it was suffocating, and some of the men had already passed out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in strangling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choking
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe
temporarily suffocated by the seat belt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vomiting
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe
suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocating
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Quarterback Kirk Cousins was having trouble against a suffocating pass rush.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
The girl was a neighbor at his Purcell apartment complex who Underwood admitted to luring into his apartment and beating her over the head with a cutting board before suffocating her to death.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Adjective
And their suffocating defensive pressure will overwhelm the Boilermakers.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Quarterback Kirk Cousins was having trouble against a suffocating pass rush.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
The weight of betrayal was suffocating.
—EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
The girl was a neighbor at his Purcell apartment complex who Underwood admitted to luring into his apartment and beating her over the head with a cutting board before suffocating her to death.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating
Adjective
-
The championship is Oklahoma City’s first since relocating from Seattle in 2008; for the Pacers, close wasn’t good enough for their second straight season with a strong playoff run before falling to the eventual NBA champs.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
-
Some of my friends sent them a gift, knowing why they were not invited but three of my close friends didn’t send anything (even a card would have been thoughtful).—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
He had been arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend, Johnny Faye Cartwright, in 2020.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
4 Jan. 2025
-
His trouble with the law began in 2020, when he was arrested for allegedly strangling his girlfriend at an Oregon home.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
He was inspired to learn after watching a teacher use the method to help another student who was choking.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Quick thinking by a 9-year-old boy in North Carolina helped save his friend who started choking at recess.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Feeling extreme discomfort with words or discussions related to vomiting.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
13 Dec. 2024
-
Heart attack symptoms can sometimes show up in the arms, back, neck, and jaw, and can bring on shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweats, lightheadedness, and vomiting—all of which are more common among women.—
Katie Camero,
SELF,
17 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
However, a lack of autonomy growing up can strongly trigger the need for independence and reinforce negative attitudes about how future relationships may continue to be stifling.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
-
Will the courts uphold the rule, potentially stifling a sector with transformative potential?—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.—
Ben Bolch,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Nov. 2024
-
Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.—
Razib Khan,
Discover Magazine,
24 Aug. 2011
Adjective
-
While many fragrance houses feel unapproachable—too old, too stuffy, too expensive—Tom Ford’s have a personableness to them.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
30 May 2025
-
Then again, the same could be said for all of MLB, which is considered stuffier than the NFL and NBA.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The younger of the two, Bella, is unscathed; her sister had jumped into a pool to rescue her and ended up drowning herself.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner released its official report on Carter's death on April 18, 2023, attributing his cause of death to drowning after inhaling difluoroethane and taking alprazolam, the generic form of brand-name Xanax.—
Johnny Dodd,
People.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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