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
Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
This was the old Magic — the nasty, physical, suffocating defensive team that made every possession feel like work.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Apr. 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
Yet Michael—the same young man who is so traumatized by the suffocating confines of childhood superstardom—is only able to make friends with animals.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
This was the old Magic — the nasty, physical, suffocating defensive team that made every possession feel like work.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating
Adjective
-
Because the Celtics, provided they close-out the 76ers, have the kind of shooters the Hawks don’t.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Qatar could deepen its already close defense ties to Turkey, and China, which is close to Iran, could play a greater diplomatic role.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Horner told a false story about hitting the little girl with his van and then strangling her in a panic, according to testimony of the case’s lead investigator, Texas Ranger Job Espinoza.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
-
He’s accused of strangling Anna Kepner while the two of them shared a room on the Carnival Horizon.—
David Goodhue
April 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jurors then heard sounds of banging and choking — and Athena screaming and crying, the Star-Telegram reports.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
How about allegedly choking a live-in chef?—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Coco Gauff has advanced to the fourth round of the Madrid Open despite falling ill and vomiting on court.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
If your dog is vomiting continuously, take your pet to the vet as soon as possible, The Bee reported.—
Stephanie Zappelli,
Sacbee.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota’s two best defenders, paved the way in the first round by smothering Denver’s vaunted tandem of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
-
Though Edwards and DiVincenzo are their two best 3-point shooters and offensive creators, a revival of the smothering defense that fueled the rally in Game 2 and blowout wins in Games 3 and 4 will be the biggest key to the Timberwolves taking the series.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Everything the Stars said in the wake of Saturday’s breathless 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild in Game 4 — a gut-check win for the Wild, a gut-punch loss for the Stars — was true.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But she was met in the airlock by Tim Robbins' Bernard in a fiery cliffhanger climax that left us all totally breathless.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Per the logline, in Season 2 the Dars are drowning in dirty cash and Philly’s sketchiest crooks are circling.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
-
The book’s cover depicts a hazy sunset over a Hollywood sign that is drowning in floodwaters.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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