suffocate

American  

[suhf-uh-keyt] / ˈsʌf əˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

suffocated, suffocating

1. to kill by preventing the access of air to the blood through the lungs or analogous organs, as gills; strangle.

2. to impede the respiration of.

3. to discomfort by a lack of fresh or cool air.

4. to overcome or extinguish; suppress.

---

verb (used without object)

suffocated, suffocating

1. to become suffocated; stifle; smother.

2. to be uncomfortable due to a lack of fresh or cool air.

suffocate British  

/ ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to kill or be killed by the deprivation of oxygen, as by obstruction of the air passage or inhalation of noxious gases

2. to block the air passages or have the air passages blocked

3. to feel or cause to feel discomfort from heat and lack of air

---

Other Word Forms

• suffocating adjective
• suffocatingly adverb
• suffocation noun
• suffocative adjective
• unsuffocated adjective
• unsuffocative adjective

Etymology

Origin of suffocate

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin suffōcātus (past participle of suffōcāre “to choke, stifle”), equivalent to suf- suf- + -fōc- (combining form of fauc-, stem of faucēs “throat”) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

“The worst part was I almost suffocated when the dress went over my head. I was like, ‘This could be problematic.’

From Los Angeles Times

"Utility bills are suffocating us. Prices are crushing us. It's very hard to get by."

From BBC

They came with a turbocharged offensive unit and a suffocating defense.

From The Wall Street Journal

While Lipinski realized her dream, becoming Olympic champion in Nagano, she knows the suffocating feeling of competing under the Olympic rings.

From Los Angeles Times

The mist cleared, and he could see her rolling her eyes in panic, thrashing her neck from side to side in the sticky, suffocating swamp.

From Literature

Related Words

• asphyxiate
• drown
• smother
• stifle
• strangle