1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
the law requires the owner of a discarded refrigerator to remove its door so that a child won't get trapped inside and suffocate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffocate
Atlanta has been every bit as suffocating defensively as the Valkyries, albeit with plenty more polish on offense.
—
Garrett Chorpenning, New York Times, 11 July 2025
A couple in Ohio are facing murder charges after officials say a 2-year-old girl was suffocated to death.
—Kansas City Star, 10 July 2025
Without quality data, even the most sophisticated algorithms suffocate, making the difference between AI that demos well and AI that delivers measurable business value.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
An autopsy determined the girls were suffocated, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said on June 9.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Garrett Chorpenning, New York Times, 11 July 2025
A couple in Ohio are facing murder charges after officials say a 2-year-old girl was suffocated to death.
—Kansas City Star, 10 July 2025
Without quality data, even the most sophisticated algorithms suffocate, making the difference between AI that demos well and AI that delivers measurable business value.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
An autopsy determined the girls were suffocated, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said on June 9.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
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Menzies was convicted of the 1986 murder of 26-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was kidnapped, robbed, strangled, and found tied to a tree with her throat slit.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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Most of the victims were strangled or asphyxiated, and Gacy buried 26 of the bodies in the crawl space beneath his home; others were found in Chicago waterways, per NPR.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
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The District Attorney’s Office also said that in the year before her death, Brendan Doyle choked his mother in order to force her to write him two checks totaling $1,000.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 July 2025
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Trying to dislodge it, the rostrum punched through the gills, impaling the animal, dragging it down and slowly choking it to death.—
David Bressan,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Seek immediate medical attention if the person vomits, symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
29 July 2025
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Oftentimes, discomfort and queasiness become worse immediately before vomiting.—
Kelly Burch Published,
Verywell Health,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The tragedy comes after a German man, 54, also drowned on Tuesday at Cap de Sant Pere de Cambrils beach, near Llarga beach, bringing Catalan beaches’ fatalities to 16 since June 15, according to the BBC.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
31 July 2025
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Social media influencer Emilie Kiser does not want the public to see what led Chandler police to recommend a criminal charge against her husband in the drowning death of their 3-year-old son, according to a new court filing.—
Elena Santa Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
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This lightweight leave-in conditioner is designed for all curl types, from loose waves to coily textures, and hydrates without adding a smothering layer of buildup.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
7 July 2025
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Instead, bruising inside Aria’s cheeks and cuts in her mouth consistent with being smothered to death were discovered, said Dr. Tran.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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