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to suffocate

to suffocate

53 5.7
To feel limited and unable to grow or express yourself
  • verb
  • /ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt/
translation icon : sofocar
  • After years of strict rules and expectations, I felt like my job was suffocating my creativity.
  • feel suffocated
  • escape the suffocating atmosphere

When desire gets suffocated, what's left is just love.

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Examples

  • "Consumer culture," as we are fond of calling it, ends up suffocating the human spirit.

    Academic text (2001)
  • A nation and its citizens can become paralyzed when they are suffocated under corrupt and oppressive leaders.

    Academic text (2008)
  • There were times in those first weeks when I thought I might suffocate with happiness.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Is that enough to slowly suffocate the integrity of a journalist?

  • "This family is suffocating me.

  • Because at times, the act of living can be suffocating!

  • I felt like I was suffocating.

  • I really hate feeling suffocated.

  • I feel like this society is just suffocating this warrior class of males.

  • A burqa wearer may feel that she cannot breathe, that she might slowly be suffocating.

    Academic text (2010)

Synonyms

to choke
vsto suffocate
97 4.9

To find it hard to speak because you feel strong emotion

focuses on long term restriction of growth by outside circumstances
to strangle
vsto suffocate
33 6.7

To limit growth or activity so it cannot continue

is about outside limits that make someone feel unable to develop
to inhibit
vsto suffocate
11 6.3

Make someone unable to act naturally or show feelings

means blocked development rather than only stopping natural actions
to put a damper on
vsto suffocate
  • Informal
11 5.8

Make something less fun or exciting

applies to deeper, broader restriction that prevents personal development
to quench
vsto suffocate
7 6.1

To stop a feeling or action completely

involves milder ongoing stifling that blocks growth rather than destruction

Antonyms

241 3.2

To grow well and be successful

116 4.1

To grow strongly and be healthy or successful

Idioms

Stop someone from thinking of new ideas

How Restricted

to crush
386 4.7
to smother
39 6.0
to stifle
49 5.3
to suffocate
53 5.7
to constrain
64 5.6
to restrain
86 4.6
to limit
2.1

Surface Forms

suffocate infinitive
suffocated past
suffocated past participle
suffocating present participle
suffocates third person singular

Etymology

Suffocate also has a figurative meaning and keeps the same strong image as the physical act: like being 'smothered' or 'choked', there is no room to grow or breathe. That's why we say ideas, creativity, or people can suffocate when they feel trapped or very limited.