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suffocative

suffocative

8.6
Hot, heavy air that makes it hard to breathe
  • adjective
  • /ˈsʌfəˌkeɪtɪv/
translation icon : sofocante
  • She opened the window to escape the suffocative atmosphere in the crowded room.

Examples

  • The suffocative heat made it difficult to sleep during the summer blackout.

  • The humidity in the tent was almost suffocative after a night of heavy rain.

  • The suffocative heat made it hard to breathe.

  • In summer, the suffocative humidity can be unbearable.

  • She opened the window to escape the suffocative atmosphere in the crowded room.

  • The suffocative heat made it difficult to sleep during the summer blackout.

  • The humidity in the tent was almost suffocative after a night of heavy rain.

Synonyms

close
vssuffocative
29 3.4

Too warm and without fresh air

is about causing breathing difficulty more generally, not only about warmth
stuffy
vssuffocative
13 2.7

A room with little fresh air that feels uncomfortable to breathe in

is a broader term for causing breathing difficulty beyond just unpleasant rooms
stifling
vssuffocative
4 5.3

Very hot, close air that makes it hard to breathe

is not limited to extreme heat and covers other causes of breathing difficulty
airless
vssuffocative
2 4.7

A place with no air where you cannot breathe

describes causing breathing trouble from heat or poor air without total absence
suffocating
vssuffocative
1 5.1

Making it hard to breathe because the air is hot, close, or not fresh

is more general and applies to causes beyond places or atmospheres
unbreathable
vssuffocative
1 6.6

Air that is unsafe to breathe because of smoke or chemicals

means causing breathing difficulty but not necessarily making air completely unsafe
unventilated
vssuffocative
1 6.3

A room with no fresh air moving in

is about causing breathing difficulty rather than only lacking formal ventilation
smothering
vssuffocative
1 6.7

Thick hot air that makes it hard to breathe

is the broader term for causing breathing difficulty not only by oppressive heat
choking
vssuffocative
1 5.0

Making it hard to breathe because of smoke, dust, heat, or lack of fresh air

focuses on difficulty from lack of fresh air or heat rather than particles
smothery
vssuffocative
8.9

Air that is very close and makes it hard to breathe

is the direct cause of breathing difficulty rather than only the felt impression
unairable
vssuffocative
8.2

Too closed to let in fresh air

is about causing breathing difficulty directly rather than the impossibility of ventilation
asphyxiating
vssuffocative
  • Specialized
9.6

Making it very hard to breathe because there is not enough air

is milder, meaning difficulty breathing rather than life-threatening oxygen loss
nonrespirable
vssuffocative
  • Specialized
8.7

Too large or not able to enter the lungs when breathed in

is about causing breathing difficulty, not total unsuitability for inhalation

Antonyms

314 1.0

Clean air or water that has no harmful things

15 3.3

A material that lets air pass through to keep you cool and dry

How Suffocating

smothering
1 6.7
suffocating
1 5.1
suffocative
8.6
stifling
4 5.3
stuffy
13 2.7

Surface Forms

suffocative positive

Morphology

suffocative = suffocate (transparent) = suffocate + ive

Formed from the verb 'suffocate' with the adjectival suffix '-ive', meaning 'causing or relating to suffocation', which is straightforward for learners who know 'suffocate'.

Etymology

Suffocative comes from the Latin suffocare, which meant 'to choke' and is built from sub- 'under' and the Latin word fauces for 'throat'. So something suffocative makes it hard to breathe or get fresh air.