What does suffocate mean?
Suffocate means to cause death or unconsciousness by preventing a person or animal from breathing, as can happen through smoke, gas, or physical pressure. The verb can also describe dying from a lack of oxygen. In figurative contexts, it describes conditions that leave people feeling trapped or unable to speak, create, or act freely: a restrictive workplace, an overcrowded home, or a stifling social atmosphere may be said to suffocate its inhabitants. The word is especially associated with suffocation, the state of being deprived of air, and it often carries a grave or urgent tone when used literally. Figuratively, it can suggest emotional or creative repression rather than physical danger. Because the word combines a precise physical meaning with a widely understood metaphor about lacking breathing space, it is useful for describing both dangerous oxygen deprivation and the pressure caused by excessive restriction.
verbTo cause someone to die or become unconscious by preventing them from breathing. It can also mean to die from lack of oxygen, or figuratively to prevent someone or something from developing or expressing themselves freely.
- To cause someone to die or become unconscious by preventing them from breathing.
- To die from lack of oxygen.
- To prevent someone from expressing themselves, developing, or functioning freely.
"The thick smoke suffocated the birds trapped in the enclosed space."
"Carbon monoxide can suffocate people without causing obvious external injuries."
"She felt suffocated by the strict rules governing every aspect of her life."
A word for both a fatal lack of air and the figurative feeling of having no room to breathe.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suffocate come from?
The word comes through Old French from Latin suffocāre, meaning “to smother” or “to choke.” The Latin verb is associated with the idea of blocking the breath or suffocating, and it developed into English forms including “suffocate” and “suffocation.” Its sense of preventing normal expression or development is a later figurative extension of the physical meaning.
Related word forms
How suffocate is actually used
The word is serious and often evokes a violent or fatal situation. In figurative use, it usually describes a restrictive environment, workload, or social atmosphere that leaves someone feeling unable to breathe or express themselves. The related noun is “suffocation.”
Easily confused with suffocate
Suffocation specifically involves being deprived of oxygen, whereas choking can refer more broadly to difficulty breathing or blockage of the airway.
Smothering usually involves covering or physically suppressing something, while suffocation emphasizes the deprivation of oxygen.