Synonyms of suffocating

suffocating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsə-fə-ˌkā-tiŋ 

as in close

lacking fresh air

inside the bunker it was suffocating, and some of the men had already passed out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• close
• stifling
• breathless
• stuffy
• thick
• oppressive
• heavy
• airless
• unventilated
• fuggy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• airy
• breezy
• sweet
• bracing
• refreshing
• reviving
• brisk
• restorative
• ventilated
• unstuffy
• invigorating
• refreshed

suffocating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of suffocate

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

• strangling
• choking
• stifling
• smothering
• drowning
• destroying
• asphyxiating
• throttling
• slaying
• garroting
• dispatching
• felling
• doing in
• croaking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathing
• inhaling
• expiring
• inspiring
• exhaling
• reviving
• resuscitating

2

as in choking

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

temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strangling
• choking
• throttling
• asphyxiating
• stifling
• smothering
• garroting
• scragging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restoring
• reviving
• resuscitating

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

• choking
• vomiting
• gagging
• stifling
• heaving
• smothering
• asphyxiating
• throwing up
• retching

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathing
• respiring
• expiring
• inspiring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of suffocating

Adjective

Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees C (70 F) around midday. — ABC News, 31 May 2026

This matchup features two ascendant young stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama (who finished first and third in MVP voting, respectively), exciting young talent, a legitimate regional rivalry and two suffocating defenses. — Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 18 May 2026

Verb

Horticultural and neem oil work by suffocating the insects and disrupting their feeding cycle. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Aug. 2026

When the siblings finally arrive, the bitter, suffocating reality that awaits them proves far harsher than Lucila had imagined. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026