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
Peter Bart, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2025
Doors and windows were locked, producing a suffocating effect in the hot weather.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
A day care employee, who confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another child, is facing murder and assault charges, according to court documents.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Adjective
Its suffocating Puritanic culture is suddenly rocked by an exhilarating theater movement fostering the likes of Tamburlaine and Doctor Faustus, but also by an underground of intrigue and dissent that’s hatching schemes to blow up Parliament and extinguish royal rule.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2025
Doors and windows were locked, producing a suffocating effect in the hot weather.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Landscape fabric can harm healthy soil by suffocating beneficial organisms and disrupting natural nutrient cycles.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
A day care employee, who confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another child, is facing murder and assault charges, according to court documents.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating
Adjective
-
Many of the scouts in attendance on Tuesday — from about half the NFL teams — would have been keeping a close eye on left tackle Kage Casey.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Mar. 2026
-
If balloons are around, close supervision is required.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In early January 2025, police were called to the Aliquippa VFW when Ours was accused of repeatedly punching and strangling another man, later identified as Preston Coleman.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Jorge Landeros, 56, was sentenced to 25 years in prison more than a decade after reportedly fatally beating and strangling a 52-year-old American University accounting professor in her Maryland home.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That bottleneck, not the commissioning decline itself, is what’s choking the supply chain.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Now, if only Herbert could stop choking in the playoffs.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In addition to vomiting blood, Chris also has suffered from nose bleeds, headaches, chest pain and weakness.—
Amy Lavalley,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Norovirus is the leading cause of diarrhea and vomiting outbreaks in the United States, according to the CDC.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Pushing the pace on offense and stifling the Sharks with defense, Arizona went up by double digits in the opening minutes and led the Sharks by 27 in the first half while delighting the thousands of fans who filled Viejas Arena with red.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Oettinger, who was Team USA’s backup goalie in their run to the gold medal last month, ranged from steady to spectacular in stifling the Wild.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There is a lot of breathless talk of autonomous agents reshaping every corner of corporate America, from handling sales calls to writing code to managing supply chains.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In the breathless reporting that followed, Barkley publicly denied dating Madonna before the 1993 NBA finals.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the West, a smothering heat dome moved east after almost two weeks of record March temperatures; four spots in Arizona and California hit 112 degrees, and dozens of locations set heat records all the way to Pennsylvania and South Carolina.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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And for only children—who believe that a sibling would mean the end of loneliness or a reduction in unwanted or smothering attention, an ally with whom to weather the storm—the wish to have one may be equally strong.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2012, the couple opened Rich Table as a break from stuffier environs — a restaurant that put refinement on the plate instead of in the tablecloth, band tees welcome.—
Cesar Hernandez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The service The service style at 1 Hotel Tokyo is easygoing and never stuffy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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