1
as in to strangle
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
However, this mindset is suffocating and often only leads to further anxiety, stress and unrealistic expectations.
—
Kent Ingle, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The Tar Heels' defense was suffocating against West Virginia, holding them to a paltry 13-for-54 (24.1%) from the field and just 2-for-21 (9.5%) from the 3-point line.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Zombie embraces slow, creeping tension, often holding shots for longer than expected, forcing the audience to marinate in the film’s suffocating atmosphere.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Nitrogen gas has been used just four other times to execute a person in the United States — all in Alabama, the only other state with a protocol for the method, which involves pumping nitrogen gas into a facemask, causing the prisoner to suffocate.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Kent Ingle, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The Tar Heels' defense was suffocating against West Virginia, holding them to a paltry 13-for-54 (24.1%) from the field and just 2-for-21 (9.5%) from the 3-point line.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Zombie embraces slow, creeping tension, often holding shots for longer than expected, forcing the audience to marinate in the film’s suffocating atmosphere.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Nitrogen gas has been used just four other times to execute a person in the United States — all in Alabama, the only other state with a protocol for the method, which involves pumping nitrogen gas into a facemask, causing the prisoner to suffocate.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Earlier this year, audio was released from 2022, where Majors admitted to having strangled his partner at the time.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Michael Tanzi, 48, was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Prison for the April 2000 kidnapping and strangling death of Janet Acosta, a production worker at The Miami Herald.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This hazard, hard plastic, and many other physical hazards such as metal and rocks/stones can cause illness or injury to the consumer, including laceration, cuts to the tongue or gum, perforation, occlusion (choking), typically occurring immediately or shortly after consumption.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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To soothe a sore throat, consider remedies like sucking on ice chips or lozenges (adults only; this is a choking hazard for young children), sipping warm beverages, gargling with salt water, or taking an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever.2 2.—
Lauren Schlanger,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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According to the mother, the infant vomited multiple times over the next few days, so an appointment was set up with a pediatrician on April 4, 2023, according to the warrant affidavit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2025
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If consumed, Salmonella infection side effects could be vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and fever, the FDA says.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Tragedy struck the Kilmer family in 1977 when Kilmer’s younger brother Wesley drowned at the young age of 15.—
Ale Russian,
People.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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And the public is left drowning in a sea of hot takes and half-truths, trying to make sense of what—if anything—actually matters.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The oil will smother active and recently settled crawlers.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
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Moving in too soon can smother the spark that initially brought you together.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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