- 1[intransitive, transitive] to die because there is no air to breathe; to kill someone by not letting them breathe air Many dogs have suffocated in hot cars. suffocate somebody/something The couple were suffocated by fumes from a faulty gas heater. He put the pillow over her face and suffocated her. (figurative) She felt suffocated by all the rules and regulations.
- 2[intransitive] be suffocating if it is suffocating, it is very hot and there is little fresh air Can I open a window? It's suffocating in here!
suffocate
verbNAmE//ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they suffocate he / she / it suffocates
past simple suffocated
-ing form suffocating
NAmE//ˌsʌfəˈkeɪʃn//
noun [uncountable] to die of suffocationSee suffocate in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: suffocate