From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsuffocatesuf‧fo‧cate /ˈsʌfəkeɪt/ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]BREATHE# to die or make someone die by preventing them from breathing The animal seizes its prey by the throat and suffocates it to death. One of the puppies suffocated inside the plastic bag.2 → be suffocating3 [transitive]DO BADLY to prevent a relationship, plan, business etc from developing well or being successful Jealousy can suffocate any relationship. —suffocation /ˌsʌfəˈkeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
suffocate• It was very hot inside the car, and I felt as though I was suffocating.• Although the gear had no contact with any of my breathing apparatus, I felt suffocated.• The overweight 45year-old was believed to have suffocated her 65-year-old victim during a furious row.• They pushed a plastic bag over his head and almost suffocated him.• He had to keep his arms free as he needed them to keep the snake from suffocating him.• These dinosaurs were not suffocating in a museum.• Many of the birds had suffocated in their boxes.• Above him the sky swam greyly, suffocating the moon; the edge of the roof sailed free in space.• Cars were suffocating the roads like weeds.• Their mother suffocated them with overprotective love.Origin suffocate (1400-1500) Latin past participle of suffocare, from sub- ( → SUB-) + fauces “throat” 