suffocate
verb
suf·fo·cate
ˈsə-fə-ˌkāt 
suffocated; suffocating
1
a(1)
: to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)
(2)
: to deprive of oxygen
b
: to make uncomfortable by want of fresh air
2
: to impede or stop the development of
1
b
: to be uncomfortable through lack of fresh air
2
: to become checked in development
Examples of suffocate in a Sentence
The poor dog could suffocate in the car on a hot day like this.
Don't put your head in a plastic bag—you could suffocate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump is bound to be less bad for bitcoin than the Democrats and their ‘chokepoints’ and could lead to a flowering of blockchain applications that for years now have been suffocated by the regulators.
—
Clem Chambers, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Despite throttling the press and trying to suffocate the opposition, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party lost its absolute majority in parliament in part because of widespread economic disaffection among voters.
—Isabella M. Weber, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2025
Świątek, who had just relinquished the No. 1 spot, is one of the few players who can rival Gauff as a mover, and her disciplined, suffocating ground strokes can seem engineered to break down Gauff’s forehand.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
So was the overtime loss, during which the Rams defense was slowly suffocated by coordinator Ben Johnson’s rushing attack in the extra period.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
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Clem Chambers, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Despite throttling the press and trying to suffocate the opposition, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party lost its absolute majority in parliament in part because of widespread economic disaffection among voters.
—Isabella M. Weber, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2025
Świątek, who had just relinquished the No. 1 spot, is one of the few players who can rival Gauff as a mover, and her disciplined, suffocating ground strokes can seem engineered to break down Gauff’s forehand.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
So was the overtime loss, during which the Rams defense was slowly suffocated by coordinator Ben Johnson’s rushing attack in the extra period.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for suffocate
Dictionary Entries Near suffocate
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffocate. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
suffocate
verb
suf·fo·cate
ˈsəf-ə-ˌkāt
suffocated; suffocating
1
a
: to stop the breathing of (as by strangling)
b
: to deprive of oxygen
c
: to make uncomfortable by want of fresh air
2
: to become suffocated
especially
: to die or suffer from being unable to breathe or from lack of oxygen
Medical Definition
suffocate
verb
suf·fo·cate
ˈsəf-ə-ˌkāt
suffocated; suffocating
1
: to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)
2
: to deprive of oxygen
: to die from being unable to breathe
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