suffocated 1 of 2

Definition of suffocatednext

suffocated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of suffocate
1
as in strangled
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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2
as in throttled
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

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3
as in vomited
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suffocated
Adjective
The first album of the MEMENTO MORI era, 2018’s My Dear Melancholy, is a dark and paranoid EP, more sinister, suffocated, and sparse than previous work. Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026 The hefty down duvet is almost as comforting as a weighted blanket, but sufficiently light and breathable so those who run hot don’t feel suffocated. Air Mail, 1 Nov. 2025 The videos, which were shared online, showed baby monkeys being crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled and mutilated. Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Oct. 2025 Additionally, soil that is constantly wet can become compacted, which the horticulturist says could reduce its ability to drain properly leading to suffocated roots that are unable to expand properly. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025 Since Ibsen wrote the suffocated aristocrat with her poison tongue into existence 135 years ago, titans of theatre have grappled with Gabler. Ben Jureidini, Them., 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Some athletes feel suffocated by the obligations that fame brings. Arkansas Online, 2 Feb. 2026 Some athletes feel suffocated by the obligations that fame brings. Eddie Pells, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2026 That will require out-foxing Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr, whose pressure game plans suffocated the Chargers and Texans the past two weeks. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026 Freedom can unlock Iranians’ potential that has been suffocated for decades. Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026 Replaced by sycophants and suffocated by the clergy’s interference in daily life, this class has long since lost faith in the system. Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026 The way Seattle’s defense suffocated San Francisco’s offense, Robert Saleh’s crew needed to be perfect. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026 The Niners’ offense was suffocated Saturday. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026 His team suffocated opponents on defense and picked them apart on offense. Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocated
Verb
  • Hanlon was out hiking when Hall assaulted and strangled her to death.
    Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Podedworna also alleges that her late partner had threatened to kill her and strangled her just two weeks before her death, the BBC and The Independent reported.
    Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Three years after the incident involving Cordell, a prisoner claimed he was assaulted, choked and Tazed by Hadder while on day release for a family reunion at a Waffle House.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Kenya choked under the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi, who ruled from 1978 to 2002.
    Binaifer Nowrojee, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • All four of the pledges reportedly vomited during that break, the affidavits said.
    Lindsay Good, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The night before he was diagnosed, Williams vomited at home for several hours.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Robust, malty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, this smothered cabbage recipe will warm your soul and delight your tastebuds.
    Pableaux Johnson, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
  • The smothered steak biscuit is available to order in-store and online through January 2026, a Bojangles spokesperson told CharlotteFive.
    Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In the media, the small improvements the legislation was able to make were drowned out by the pandemonium of the culture wars.
    Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Those videos, especially in the case of Alex Pretti’s shooting, drowned out both the slop and slick government productions.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Crackle, fizz, pop, extinguished.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • With all these no-shows this year, shouldn’t City Hall reach out in the spirit of bipartisanship and extend an invite to the extinguished solon Tran?
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The story of damped harmonic systems goes back to 1900, when British physicist Horace Lamb built a simple mathematical model of a particle vibrating inside a solid.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Ideal for thick, natural hair, the cream formula moisturizes quenched curls with ingredients such as silk protein, coconut oil, and shea butter.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 18 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffocated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocated. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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