suffocate

American

[suhf-uh-keyt] / ˈsʌf əˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

suffocated, suffocating

to kill by preventing the access of air to the blood through the lungs or analogous organs, as gills; strangle.
to impede the respiration of.
to discomfort by a lack of fresh or cool air.
to overcome or extinguish; suppress.

verb (used without object)

suffocated, suffocating

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

suffocate British

/ ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt /

verb

to kill or be killed by the deprivation of oxygen, as by obstruction of the air passage or inhalation of noxious gases
to block the air passages or have the air passages blocked
to feel or cause to feel discomfort from heat and lack of air

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Take advantage of the time you have ahead of you to understand risk better. Don’t suffocate your portfolio” by allocating too much for income-based investments.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Their breath was believed to poison the air and suffocate the land, especially in swampy regions where disease was common.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

A completely overhauled defense learned to suffocate opposing offenses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

Since babies are less likely to suffocate on firm mattresses and without loose bedding, Little replaced her pillow-top mattress and got rid of all of her blankets and extra pillows.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

I sat beside Elliot, wrestling with emotions so big I thought they might suffocate me.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023