suffocate
verb
suf·fo·cate
ˈsə-fə-ˌkāt 
suffocated; suffocating
1
a(1)
: to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)
(2)
: to deprive of oxygen
b
: to make uncomfortable by want of fresh air
2
: to impede or stop the development of
1
b
: to be uncomfortable through lack of fresh air
2
: to become checked in development
Examples of suffocate in a Sentence
The poor dog could suffocate in the car on a hot day like this.
Don't put your head in a plastic bag—you could suffocate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Text wraps around you like a dreadful whisper, with an eye to suffocate.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
But his chairmanship’s suffocating high interest rates created a palatable cure.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
Avoid piling mulch against the trunk, and make sure the tree is not planted too deeply, which can suffocate roots over time.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
In January 2004, Busby suffocated Laura Lee Crane with 36 feet of two brands of tape, the pathologist who performed her autopsy testified at Busby’s capital murder trial in Tarrant County.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
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Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
But his chairmanship’s suffocating high interest rates created a palatable cure.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
Avoid piling mulch against the trunk, and make sure the tree is not planted too deeply, which can suffocate roots over time.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
In January 2004, Busby suffocated Laura Lee Crane with 36 feet of two brands of tape, the pathologist who performed her autopsy testified at Busby’s capital murder trial in Tarrant County.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffocate. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
suffocate
verb
suf·fo·cate
ˈsəf-ə-ˌkāt
suffocated; suffocating
1
a
: to stop the breathing of (as by strangling)
b
: to deprive of oxygen
c
: to make uncomfortable by want of fresh air
2
: to become suffocated
especially
: to die or suffer from being unable to breathe or from lack of oxygen
Medical Definition
suffocate
verb
suf·fo·cate
ˈsəf-ə-ˌkāt
suffocated; suffocating
1
: to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)
2
: to deprive of oxygen
: to die from being unable to breathe
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