suffocation

American  

[suhf-uh-key-shuhn] / ˌsʌf əˈkeɪ ʃən /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of suffocation

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

Example Sentences

Maybe that’s why he had started to fear suffocation.

From Literature

The kind of crying that makes you breathe all messed up and you feel like you’re about to die of suffocation.

From Literature

As it turned out, the mouse had died not from radiation but suffocation, for someone had forgotten to activate its air supply.

From Literature

Some minutes later I was overwhelmed by a disturbingly familiar feeling of suffocation, and I realized that my oxygen had once again run out.

From Literature

Cluny stooped inside the tunnel workings, surrounded by as many of his followers as could pack in without causing mass suffocation.

From Literature