as in to strangle
to cause (someone) to stop breathing and often to become unconscious and die
The murder victim was asphyxiated.
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Recent Examples of asphyxiate
She had been asphyxiated and then mutilated after her death.
—
Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Police initially thought Joy had died in an accidental house fire in Bristol Township, Pa., but an autopsy revealed she had been repeatedly stabbed, suffered fractured ribs and was likely asphyxiated, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Medical examiner’s photos displayed Thursday showed swelling to her face and head, internal bleeding and signs that she was asphyxiated, Wallace said.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 8 Aug. 2025
In Oregon in February 2023, a 23-month-old child was asphyxiated after his shirt got caught on one of the hooks while climbing and crawling through the opening at the back of the play kitchen where the toy kitchen accessories are held, per the CPSC.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for asphyxiate
Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Police initially thought Joy had died in an accidental house fire in Bristol Township, Pa., but an autopsy revealed she had been repeatedly stabbed, suffered fractured ribs and was likely asphyxiated, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Medical examiner’s photos displayed Thursday showed swelling to her face and head, internal bleeding and signs that she was asphyxiated, Wallace said.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 8 Aug. 2025
In Oregon in February 2023, a 23-month-old child was asphyxiated after his shirt got caught on one of the hooks while climbing and crawling through the opening at the back of the play kitchen where the toy kitchen accessories are held, per the CPSC.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for asphyxiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asphyxiate
Verb
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In 2021, Ratray was accused of attempting to strangle his girlfriend.—
Madeline Boardman,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
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Necropsies performed on both dogs by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the University of Georgia concluded that they were strangled to death, investigators said, WSB-TV reports.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rural voters on the Eastern Shore don’t want their voices drowned out by Democrats forced into their district from the suburbs of Central Maryland.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Feb. 2026
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Whitney died suddenly in February 2012, having accidentally drowned in a hotel room a day before the Grammy Awards.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Asphyxiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asphyxiate. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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