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to suffocate
01
to block someone or something's access to air, making it difficult or impossible to breathe
Transitive: to suffocate sb/sth
Grammatical Information
action verb
regular
present tense
suffocate
3rd person singular
suffocates
past simple
suffocated
past participle
suffocated
Examples
In the crowded room, he felt as if the lack of air would suffocate him.
02
to struggle for breathing due to the lack or reduced amount of oxygen
Intransitive
Examples
She nearly suffocated under the heavy blanket while taking a nap.
03
to feel overwhelmed, trapped, or oppressed
Transitive: to suffocate sb/sth
Examples
The relentless demands of her job suffocated her, leaving her exhausted.
04
to die because there is not enough oxygen to breathe
Intransitive
Examples
The patient suffocated when the breathing tube became blocked.
05
to prevent something from growing or progressing by blocking or restricting it
Transitive: to suffocate development of something
Examples
The heavy regulations could choke the growth of new businesses.
06
to be stopped or hindered in progress or growth
Intransitive
Examples
The project began to suffocate as funding dried up.
Lexical Tree
suffocating
suffocation
suffocative
suffocate
