suffocation

[ suhf-uh-key-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of killing by preventing air from getting to the blood through the lungs or gills; strangulation:

   A crushing neck injury resulted in the child’s suffocation.

2. difficulty breathing or inability to breathe, or any act that causes this:

   One protestor endured temporary suffocation from tear gas.

3. the act of making someone uncomfortable, or the fact of becoming uncomfortable, through lack of fresh air:

   Every noon, the market was crowded; but on Sundays, it was crowded to the point of suffocation.

4. the act or practice of thwarting someone’s self-expression, freedom, independence, etc.:

   Under the military regime there was so much suffocation of the media—they even burned down news offices.

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffocation¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin suffōcātiōn-, stem of suffōcātiō, “a choking, stifling”; suffocate ( def ), -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

Sheriff Bianco attributed Solis’s death to suffocation and blood loss after his jugular vein was punctured.

From Los Angeles Times

When the news reached the family, it felt like “the suffocation of 56 years had suddenly evaporated”, Mr Thomas told BBC Hindi.

From BBC

An autopsy ruled that the boy died by suffocation, and numerous injuries, including rib fractures caused by “significant force” that were found on his small body.

From Los Angeles Times

"The way that this culture, this society has been upended, is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world," said Streep, who called on world leaders to "stop the slow suffocation" of Afghan women and girls.

From BBC

In 2020, there were 3,400 sudden unexpected infant deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including babies who died from accidental suffocation or strangulation; nearly half, about 1,389, were classified as SIDS.

From Los Angeles Times