as in close
lacking fresh air
inside the bunker it was suffocating, and some of the men had already passed out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in strangling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choking
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe
temporarily suffocated by the seat belt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vomiting
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe
suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of suffocating
ABC News,
31 May 2026
This matchup features two ascendant young stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama (who finished first and third in MVP voting, respectively), exciting young talent, a legitimate regional rivalry and two suffocating defenses.
—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night's clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.
—
CBS News,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Adjective
Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees C (70 F) around midday.
—
ABC News,
31 May 2026
This matchup features two ascendant young stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama (who finished first and third in MVP voting, respectively), exciting young talent, a legitimate regional rivalry and two suffocating defenses.
—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Verb
But against a suffocating new-look defense spearheaded by Williams, the Valkyries stifled Plum to the tune of a season-low nine points on 3-of-10 shooting and just 2 of 3 from the free throw line.
—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night's clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.
—
CBS News,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating
Adjective
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With the wrap in front of you, fold up the edge closest to you.
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Because wells in the region are large and close to one another, restarting production will require significant coordination across companies and countries to ensure consistent pressure across multiple wells.
Verb
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Not cut the taxes strangling working families and British business.
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Instead of having a thousand flowers bloom, a thousand weeds end up strangling them.
Verb
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This practice carries risks, such as choking and aspiration, or food entering the airway.
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Eddie Jenkins had been arrested for domestic battery for allegedly choking Kiara Jenkins in 2009, prosecutors said.
Verb
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And Sydney vomiting out the news of Carmy’s departure is definitely something.
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The pulses are designed to normalize the nerve messaging from the brain to the stomach to relieve symptoms of nausea and vomiting without side effects.
Adjective
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For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests.
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Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling.
Verb
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Like English ivy, kudzu spreads very aggressively, smothering out native species and potentially becoming a real problem for your garden.
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The Boston Bruins would like to incorporate the Hurricanes’ smothering defense and relentless attack.
Adjective
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For all the breathless coverage devoted to celebrity engagements, weddings, and whirlwind divorces, some of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories involve couples who never bothered with the paperwork.
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Some of the more breathless estimates bandied about in the last weeks range up into seven figures.
Verb
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But water also carries the potential for danger, and parents who have lost a child to drowning are begging families to use caution.
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Florida, which has one of the highest childhood drowning rates in the nation, expanded a voucher program this month that puts children ages 1-7 who have autism at the front of the line for subsidized swim lessons.
Cite this Entry
“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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