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.
And in what was Liverpool's best half of the tour, Isak looked sharp and Wirtz scored as they suffocated Leeds with their press and moved the ball around with confidence.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
“I feel suffocated and breathless when it is too hot,” she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
"It speaks about inner fears, self-doubt, and the feeling of being emotionally suffocated by our own expectations. It was never intended to represent anything sexual."
From BBC ● May 8, 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
Although our spacious dining room gave way to an even wider living room, I felt suffocated.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
