Definition

1. Noun:
   • The condition of being deprived of oxygen (as by having breathing stopped): The state where a person or organism cannot breathe, leading to a lack of oxygen.
   • Killing by depriving of oxygen: The act of causing death by preventing someone from breathing.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The cause of death was determined to be suffocation.
  • The thick smoke in the room caused a feeling of suffocation.
  • The investigators ruled out suffocation as a possible cause.

Advanced Usage

• "to die of/from suffocation": to die because of being unable to breathe.
  • The victim appeared to have died from suffocation.
• "a sense/feeling of suffocation": a metaphorical feeling of being overwhelmed or restricted.
  • The strict rules created a sense of suffocation among the employees.

Variants and Related Words

• Suffocate (verb): to die or cause to die from lack of air or inability to breathe; to feel or cause to feel trapped and oppressed.
  • The plastic bag could suffocate a small child.
• Suffocating (adjective): causing difficulty in breathing; feeling overwhelmingly oppressive.
  • The suffocating heat made it hard to work.

Synonyms

• Asphyxiation: The condition of being deprived of oxygen, often used interchangeably with suffocation.
• Strangulation: Killing by compressing the throat and neck, a specific form of suffocation.

Related Phrases

• Smothering: The act of killing someone by covering their nose and mouth so they cannot breathe, a form of suffocation.
  • The pillow was used in the smothering of the victim.

Noun

1. the condition of being deprived of oxygen (as by having breathing stopped)
   • asphyxiation is sometimes used as a form of torture
2. killing by depriving of oxygen