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
The vocals mutate like asphyxiated Wingdings and aborted thoughts.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 Dec. 2025
Teddy is found, bound and asphyxiated, in Cooper’s bedroom, which Aggie cannot bear to enter.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
She had been asphyxiated and then mutilated after her death.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 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
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 Dec. 2025
Teddy is found, bound and asphyxiated, in Cooper’s bedroom, which Aggie cannot bear to enter.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
She had been asphyxiated and then mutilated after her death.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 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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Jorge Landeros, 56, was sentenced to 25 years in prison more than a decade after reportedly fatally beating and strangling a 52-year-old American University accounting professor in her Maryland home.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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Willacy reportedly struck Sather in the head several times with a blunt object, then bound her hands and ankles before attempting to strangle her with a telephone cord.—
News Service Of Florida,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Elevated surf also frequently results in strong rip currents which can drag people away from the shore and possibly result in drowning.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
16 Mar. 2026
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Joshua Duckett was three years old when his father was sent to Florida’s Death Row, convicted of raping, choking and drowning a fifth-grade girl while on duty as a police officer for the small rural town of Mascotte in Lake County.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Asphyxiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asphyxiate. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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