suffocating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsə-fə-ˌkā-tiŋ How to pronounce suffocating (audio)
Definition of suffocatingnext
as in close
lacking fresh air inside the bunker it was suffocating, and some of the men had already passed out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

suffocating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of suffocate
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choking
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

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3
as in vomiting
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 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
The Delta breeze may save Sacramento from 100 degrees on Friday, but given the heat dome’s positioning nearly directly overhead this weekend, that Delta breeze will be snuffed out under the suffocating high pressure. — Sean MacAday 27, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026 New York has had excellent stretches, such as the team’s undefeated Commissioner’s Cup run, when their offense moves from side to side, their shotmaking reaches elite levels and their length is suffocating on defense. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffocating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating
  1. close
  2. strangling
  3. choking
  4. vomiting
  5. stifling
  6. smothering
  7. breathless
  8. drowning
Adjective
  • Girls’ Generation, currently eight members, can be taken as a closer parallel of the same story.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Messi’s close friend and international teammate, Rodrigo De Paul, captained the squad in his absence.
    — Avi Creditor, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of close
Verb
  • In January 2023, Clancy allegedly killed her three children – Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months – by strangling them with exercise bands at her Duxbury, Massachusetts, home.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Conahan was arrested in February 1997, accused of raping Montgomery, strangling him and cutting off his genitals to eliminate DNA tracing.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of strangling
Verb
  • Inhaling powder into the lungs can cause aspiration, while choking can become an emergency.
    — Dr. Onaola Adedeji, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Body cameras captured the moments Rialto police officers rushed to save a choking 3-year-old child last week.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of choking
Verb
  • When his parents brought him to an emergency room, his symptoms were vomiting, fatigue, lethargy, and weakness.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • May appeared intoxicated and was apparently vomiting, the report alleges.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of vomiting
Adjective
  • For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests.
    — Fred Katz, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • 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.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of stifling
Verb
  • In June, he is accused of smothering a 1-month-old kitten with a rag soaked in bleach.
    — Steven Yablonski, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Forest fires on Sumatra and Borneo islands often break out during dry spells, smothering parts of nearby Singapore and Malaysia in haze.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of smothering
Adjective
  • With breathless hype and repeat viewings galore, the superhero sequel will cross $2 billion worldwide at a near-record pace.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The story has all the makings of a viral documentary replete with breathless details, similar to the ones McDonnell’s company produced.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of breathless
Verb
  • Its protagonist, Sienna, loses her voice and begins growing scales after nearly drowning, entering an underground world of desire and danger.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • An autopsy found that Melina died from asphyxia due to drowning, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to New York State Police.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of drowning

Browse Nearby Words

suffocates
suffocating
suffrage
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Cite this Entry

“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on suffocating

Nglish: Translation of suffocating for Spanish Speakers

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