asphyxiate

verb
UK: /əsˈfɪksieɪt/
US: /əsˈfɪksieɪt/

  1. To die or stop breathing because you do not have enough oxygen.

    1. The baby could asphyxiate in the plastic bag so be careful. [ ] [ ]
    2. Without proper ventilation, the miners could asphyxiate from the toxic fumes. [ ] [ ]

  2. To kill someone by preventing them from breathing.

    1. The killer tried to asphyxiate his victim with a pillow. [ ] [ ]
    2. He attempted to asphyxiate his rival, but was stopped in time by onlookers. [ ] [ ]

  3. To make someone feel extreme discomfort because of a lack of fresh air.

    1. The smoke started to asphyxiate everyone in the room quickly. [ ] [ ]
    2. The thick smog began to asphyxiate the city's residents, causing widespread panic. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

suffocate smother choke strangle
asphyxiate intransitive-verb

  1. To be affected by asphyxia; suffocation.

    1. The room felt hot, making me asphyxiate. [ ] [ ]
    2. In the airtight container, I started to asphyxiate, gasping for breath. [ ] [ ]
asphyxiate transitive-verb

  1. To cause to experience asphyxia; suffocate.

    1. The fumes can asphyxiate someone. [ ] [ ]
    2. The lack of oxygen in the cave could asphyxiate any explorers inside. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "asphyxiate" in English means: To die or stop breathing because you do not have enough oxygen., To kill someone by preventing them from breathing., To make someone feel extreme discomfort because of a lack of fresh air..

The phonetic transcription of "asphyxiate" is /əsˈfɪksieɪt/ in British English and /əsˈfɪksieɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "asphyxiate": suffocate, smother, choke, strangle.

Example usage of "asphyxiate": "The baby could asphyxiate in the plastic bag so be careful.". More examples on the page.