suffocate

v., -cat·ed, -cat·ing, -cates.

v.tr.

1. To kill or destroy by preventing access of air or oxygen.
2. To impair the respiration of; asphyxiate.
3. To cause discomfort to by or as if by cutting off the supply of fresh air.
4. To suppress the development, imagination, or creativity of; stifle: “The rigid formality of the place suffocated her” (Thackeray).

v.intr.

1. To die from lack of air or oxygen; be asphyxiated.
2. To feel discomfort from lack of fresh air.
3. To become or feel suppressed; be stifled.

[Latin suffōcāre, suffōcāt- : sub-, sub- + faucēs, throat.]

suffocatingly suf'fo·ca'ting·ly adv.
suffocation suf'fo·ca'tion n.
suffocative suf'fo·ca'tive adj.

verb

To stop the breathing of: asphyxiate, choke, smother, stifle. See breath/breathlessness.

v

Definition: choke
Antonyms: free, let go, loose

---

v

Asphyxiate; to prevent the exchange of air into the lungs, causing death.

The stoppage of breathing, or the asphyxia that results from it. If suffocation is complete—that is, no air at all reaches the lungs—the lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood will cause almost immediate loss of consciousness. Though the heart continues to beat briefly, death will follow in a matter of minutes unless emergency measures are taken to get breathing started again.
Suffocation can be caused by drowning, electric shock, gas or smoke poisoning, strangulation, or choking on a foreign body in the trachea. That suffocation is occurring in an animal may not be obvious. Signs that suggest obstruction to the air passage, e.g. in acute pulmonary edema, are gasping dyspnea with mouth breathing, frantic demented activity including aggression, especially in horses, terminally violent convulsions and asphyxial respiratory failure.

Suffocation in a dream may represent intense anxiety associated with being confined or mean the dreamer feels smothered by some situation or relationship.

---

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - kvæle
v. intr. - kvæles, blive kvalt

Nederlands (Dutch)
stikken, verstikken, smoren

Français (French)
v. tr. - (lit) asphyxier, étouffer, (fig) étouffer, paralyser
v. intr. - être asphyxié, être étouffé, (fig) suffoquer de

Deutsch (German)
v. - ersticken

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ασφυκτιώ, πνίγομαι, θανατώνω με ασφυξία

Italiano (Italian)
asfissiare, soffocare, soffocarsi, asfissiarsi

Português (Portuguese)
v. - sufocar

Русский (Russian)
душить, подавлять, задыхаться

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - ahogar, asfixiar, sofocar
v. intr. - asfixiarse, ahogarse

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - kväva, storkna, kvävas

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
使窒息, 扼制, 压制, 把...闷死, 阻碍, 被闷死, 受阻, 窒息

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 使窒息, 扼制, 壓制, 把...悶死, 阻礙
v. intr. - 被悶死, 受阻, 窒息

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~의 숨을 막다, 질식 시키다, 숨이 막히게 하다
v. intr. - 질식하다, (너무 슬퍼)목이 메다, 숨차다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 息苦しくさせる, 窒息させる, 息を止める, むせる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يخنق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮חנק‬
v. intr. - ‮נחנק‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.