su
ffo
cate
Third Person
suffocates
Present Participle
suffocating
Past Tense
suffocated
Past Participle
suffocated
1
to block someone or something's access to air, making it difficult or impossible to breathe
transitive
- In the crowded room, he felt as if the lack of air would suffocate him.
- The thick smoke suffocated the people trapped in the building.
- The room was so airtight that the heat began to suffocate everyone inside.
- He felt like the tight collar was suffocating him, making it hard to breathe.
- The plastic bag accidentally suffocated the kitten, but it was quickly freed.
Synonyms:
2
to struggle for breathing due to the lack or reduced amount of oxygen
- She nearly suffocated under the heavy blanket while taking a nap.
- The firefighter rescued the trapped cat, preventing it from suffocating in the smoke-filled room.
- The room was so stuffy that she began to suffocate and had to open a window.
- After running for so long, he felt like he was suffocating from exhaustion.
- The confined space made him suffocate, struggling for each breath.
3
to feel overwhelmed, trapped, or oppressed
transitive
- The relentless demands of her job suffocated her, leaving her exhausted.
- The relationship began to suffocate her, making her feel like she couldn’t breathe.
- The feeling of being trapped in a small town suffocated his dreams.
- The constant expectations from his parents suffocated him, making him want to escape.
- The political environment suffocated free speech, leaving people afraid to speak out.
4
to die because there is not enough oxygen to breathe
- The patient suffocated when the breathing tube became blocked.
- The dog suffocated in the car when the windows were closed.
- The victims suffocated in the fire, unable to escape the smoke.
- The man suffocated after the accident trapped him under debris.
- The trapped miners suffocated due to the lack of fresh air.
Synonyms:
5
to prevent something from growing or progressing by blocking or restricting it
transitive
- The heavy regulations could choke the growth of new businesses.
- His negative attitude choked the team's potential for success.
- The lack of resources choked the development of the project.
- The bureaucratic delays choked the progress of the important reforms.
- The strict rules on innovation could choke creative ideas.
Synonyms:
6
to be stopped or hindered in progress or growth
- The project began to suffocate as funding dried up.
- The company’s innovation suffocated under constant bureaucratic red tape.
- The idea suffocated when no one was willing to support it.
- The artist’s creativity suffocated in the rigid system of the gallery.
- Without proper support, the initiative suffocated before it could take off.
Synonyms: