suffocate
verb (used with object)
to kill by preventing the access of air to the blood through the lungs or analogous organs, as gills; strangle.
suffocated
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past participleof suffocate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof suffocate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
suffocateverb (used with object)to kill by preventing the access of air to the blood through the lungs or analogous organs, as gills; strangle.
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.
It was a game New England nearly blew but didn’t; it was a potential loss that could have suffocated playoff hopes, but the Patriots completed the job.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"We believe they suffocated because there was no ventilation," the father of one of those detained told the BBC.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
If these were suffocated by crude oil, "the consequences can be enormous to all species," Rosenstrom added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
India has also received three shipments of crude oil from Iran, according to a local Iranian diplomatic mission—the first such transfers in years after sanctions suffocated trade between the two countries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
She sat up, gasping for breath as though she were being suffocated, and saw the early morning light coming through the curtains.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
