asphyxiation
Americannoun
-
a lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood, caused by impaired respiration or insufficient oxygen in the air; suffocation.
The cause of death was severe asphyxiation, apparently from smoke inhalation.
-
the condition of being stifled or suffocated.
Peripheral countries, faced with economic asphyxiation, are being forced to sell access to their fishing banks for far less than they are worth.
Etymology
Origin of asphyxiation
Explanation
This is a word for dying from lack of oxygen. Anyone who chokes to death dies from asphyxiation. This is a medical word for a horrible thing that could happen to anyone. Asphyxiation, also known as suffocation, means to die from lack of oxygen. Gangsters in crime movies are always practicing asphyxiation, usually by holding a pillow over someone's head so they can't breathe. You have to be especially careful with small children and asphyxiation risks — if they play with a plastic bag and put it over their head, they could accidentally asphyxiate themselves.
Vocabulary lists containing asphyxiation
And Then There Were None
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
myPerspectives 10.2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Epibatidine, found in the Ecuadoran dart frog, causes muscle paralysis and eventual asphyxiation.
From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board found 80 people were killed by nitrogen asphyxiation between 1992 and 2002.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 22, 2024
David Hunter's wife Janice, 74, died of asphyxiation in December 2021 at their home near Paphos, Cyprus.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2023
Dona Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart said she wasn’t immediately aware of the asphyxiation incident, but said another incident around the same time claimed the lives of two migrants.
From Washington Times • Jan. 30, 2023
Nsia’s breath was labored; I feared she suffered from some asphyxiation, and went to tend to her; all her attention being fixed on the object behind me.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
