SUFFOCATING Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

suffocating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsə-fə-ˌkā-tiŋ

Definition of suffocating

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

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

as in choking

to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 trial of a man who admitted to suffocating his estranged wife and her two young daughters with a plastic bag more than a decade ago began Monday morning with jury selection. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 Even then, the simple existence of such an offshore economy doesn’t necessarily explain how American oligarchs’ wealth drove to suffocating heights. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffocating

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocating

Adjective

California Cruise is even closer than expected, with deliveries slated to begin next year.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
The success of this trial was possible through the close and constructive cooperation between the participating German Air Force organisations, the exercise management team and the expert teams from Rheinmetall Air Defence and Hensoldt.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of close

Verb

Clancy, a 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, doesn’t deny strangling her children in the basement of their home in 2023.

— Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Prosecutors allege Clancy planned the killings by sending her husband out on errands and then strangling the children with exercise bands while he was gone.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of strangling

Verb

Faux greenery eliminates plant-toxin concerns, but loose pieces can still become choking hazards or cause an intestinal blockage if swallowed.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
He was charged with three offenses, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentionally choking a person without consent and common assault.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of choking

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

The scrutiny at the club is like no other, the media attention can be smothering and the level expected from fans is so high.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
This is typically done with a sod cutter, by smothering with cardboard or plastic, or with a nonselective herbicide.

— Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of smothering

Adjective

Taylor’s life unfolds as a grand, breathless narrative, and Heymann knows exactly how to keep the pages turning.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
In its breathless finale, Curry races through the mansion reconstructing every murder, flinging himself through doors and corridors while maintaining the verbal precision of a stage actor performing at double speed.

— Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of breathless

Browse Nearby Words

suffocates

suffocating

suffrage

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Suffocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocating. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of suffocating

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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