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.
"We believe they suffocated because there was no ventilation," the father of one of those detained told the BBC.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
“I feel suffocated and breathless when it is too hot,” she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 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
“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 ● Feb. 25, 2026
Frustrated and suffocated by the confines of the domestic sphere, Stanton joyfully accepted an invitation to tea with friends in a nearby town.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
