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.
were suffocating
-
past progressiveof suffocate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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 didn’t do a good job of keeping the quarterback in the pocket. We were suffocating ‘em.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2023
The salmon looked as though they were suffocating, but they had plenty to breathe.
From New York Times ● Dec. 3, 2020
My chest was expanding, all the normal physical motions were there — but it felt as if I were suffocating.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 21, 2020
“You felt trapped, you felt like you were suffocating in all this.”
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 16, 2019
The days were suffocating and repetitive, Mama cooking strong-smelling soups that she ate alone because Master stayed out late and Amala felt nauseated and Ugwu had diarrhea.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
