suffocate

[ suhf-uh-keyt ]

verb (used with object)

, suf·fo·cat·ed, suf·fo·cat·ing.

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)

, suf·fo·cat·ed, suf·fo·cat·ing.

1. to become suffocated; stifle; smother.
2. to be uncomfortable due to a lack of fresh or cool air.

suffocate

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˌsuffoˈcation, noun
• ˈsuffoˌcating, adjective
• ˈsuffoˌcatingly, adverb
• ˈsuffoˌcative, adjective

Other Words From

• suf·fo·cat·ing·ly adverb
• suf·fo·ca·tion [suhf-, uh, -, key, -sh, uh, n], noun
• suf·fo·ca·tive adjective
• un·suf·fo·cat·ed adjective
• un·suf·fo·ca·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffocate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffocate¹

C16: from Latin suffōcāre, from sub- + faucēs throat

Example Sentences

They pay in having to cope with sizzling health waves, powerful hurricanes, and suffocating wildfire smoke.

From Popular-Science

Discovering that plants need sunlight to grow, or that fish will suffocate when taken out of water, requires no quantification of anything whatsoever.

From Nautilus

Scores of businesses in the city are suffocating as they delay their return to work or, worse, decide to work from home forever.

From Axios

We’ve read through quite a few letters about Zoom, suffocating family dinners, the role of sound and music, birthdays and anniversaries, and racially charged encounters.

From MIT Technology Review

In industries where specific brand names have become synonymous with their original product, new brands can easily be suffocated out of the game.

From Search Engine Watch

Her adopted daughter tried to suffocate a younger biological sibling.

From The Daily Beast

Somewhere in the theater, you also hear a soft, whimpering, “Help”—a woman is about to suffocate on her own tears.

From The Daily Beast

I hated that the town response to tragedy and suffering was to suffocate the afflicted family with attention.

From The Daily Beast

Yet the key development will hinge on sanctions aiming to suffocate the regime, a current point of division.

From The Daily Beast

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Selfby Danielle Evans A powerful short story collection from a rising star.

From The Daily Beast

As it was, ere he had time to suffocate, MacPherson was on the spot.

From Project Gutenberg

They would first suffocate, and later their bodies would be swallowed up in the stomach of the earth.

From Project Gutenberg

The gas emitted from this fissure is so strong that it would suffocate a person, holding his head near the ground.

From Project Gutenberg

Insects do not easily suffocate, and it is worse than useless, in the majority of cases, to punch air-holes in such boxes.

From Project Gutenberg

Many females in fact cry out at those times, that something has broken in the throat, and they fear they are going to suffocate.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• asphyxiate
• drown
• smother
• stifle
• strangle