asphyxiating
Học thuậtThân thiện
The firefighters wore masks to protect themselves from the asphyxiating smoke.
Definition
- Adjective:
- Causing or tending to cause asphyxia; suffocating: Describes something that deprives a person or organism of oxygen, leading to suffocation.
- Stifling or oppressive in a figurative sense: Can describe an atmosphere, situation, or influence that feels overwhelmingly constricting or suffocating.
Usage Examples
Literal, Physical Sense:
- The firefighters wore masks to protect themselves from the asphyxiating smoke.
- A leak of asphyxiating gas in the confined space posed an immediate danger to the workers.
Figurative Sense:
- She felt trapped in the asphyxiating atmosphere of strict rules and constant surveillance.
- The asphyxiating heat of the desert made it difficult to breathe.
Advanced Usage
- "asphyxiating effect": Refers to the suffocating impact of something, either physically or metaphorically.
- The new censorship laws had an asphyxiating effect on free speech and artistic expression.
Variants and Related Words
- Asphyxiate (verb): To cause someone to die or lose consciousness by depriving them of air/oxygen; to suffocate.
- The toxic fumes can asphyxiate a person within minutes.
- Asphyxiation (noun): The condition of being deprived of oxygen; suffocation.
- The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation.
- Asphyxiant (noun): A substance, such as a gas, that can cause asphyxiation.
- Carbon monoxide is a dangerous asphyxiant.
Synonyms
- Suffocating: Making someone unable to breathe.
- Stifling: Making one feel constrained and unable to breathe freely or act freely.
- Smothering: Covering someone's nose and mouth so they cannot breathe; also used figuratively for overwhelming attention.
- Choking: Causing severe difficulty in breathing.
Antonyms
- Ventilated: Provided with fresh air.
- Airing: Exposing to fresh air.
- Breathable: (Of air) fit or pleasant to breathe.
The firefighters wore masks to protect themselves from the asphyxiating smoke.
Adjective
- tending to deprive of oxygen
- asphyxiating gasses